HONG KONG PORTRAITS - Martin LEE ( 7 )

Martin LEE - Hong Kong's first Chinese BARRISTER, founder and Chairman of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY,  ' Father of Hong Kong's democracy '.



Today marks the so called 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's HANDOVER to China.  It is perhaps a right time to mention a man called MARTIN LEE on this special day.




It was a hot humid day, an overcast day.  I had an appointment with Martin Lee at 3 : 45 pm outside COURT OF FINAL APPEAL in Central.  I remember the first time I saw Martin Lee was in 1989 soon after the outbreak of JUNE 4th TIAN AN MEN MASSACRE. I saw him roaring in rage beside Szeto Wah at the political rally organized by HONG KONG ALLIANCE condemning Beijing Regime of carrying out ruthless massacre on it's own people. He was young and lean. I am still keeping a black & white image of him on that day.  I was an amateur photographer then, but after the INCIDENT,  I decided to quit my job at the Japanese trading firm in Central as salesman and take NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY as my new career. 28 years have passed.


Martin Lee was on his way to the rendezvous point in Central afraid of being late, so he texted me to say that he is on his way arriving very soon. He was punctual. I caught his silhouette from the back and called out his name, " Mr. Lee ! " he turned his head, made a quick hand-shaking with me and immediately get on with the business, which is to pose for my camera. Lee asked me, " where should we take pictures ? "  Because I took a sweep around outside the Court Building thirty minutes earlier checking where is the best location for the photo shoot, so I quickly instructed Lee to stand by the pillar at the corridor and let me snap a few pictures first. He was a little rigid in the beginning however he responded to my instruction with no difficulty. I watch him slowly warm-up as we go along with the photo-shoot. After taking few shots around the corridor, a small rain begin to drop, I was little afraid that it would ruin my photo-session if it turned heavy, but fortunately it didn't. At this time, Lee told me that he knows a 'popular spot' where many other photographers prefer to use when photographing him with GODDESS OF JUSTICE in the background, so he led me to the point. It was a low-angled point, a point I usually wouldn't choose to use it unless there's no choice. Nevertheless I snapped away a few frames of Lee with minor reluctance from the designated location. Subsequently I led Lee to go around on the other side of the COURT and found an ideal angle where I nailed my key shot. I said to him, " that's a wrap ", he praised my efficiency. Yes I need to be quick because he is a very busy man.


Martin Lee, from the time as committee member of BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE  ( BLDC ) devoting his effort to sketch out a better future for Hong Kong, until he chose to go separate way after the JUNE 4th in 1989, Lee spent most of his life devoting himself in the struggle for democracy for Hong Kong.  His years of effort that span more than three decades verified his own personal struggle for social justice, witnessing dramatic transformation of HONG KONG, from a British Colony that safeguarded freedom and human rights to a so called autonomous City of Guan Dong Province under the precarious promise of  'One Country Two Systems' that's managed by an AUTHORITARIAN REGIME.


" Hong Kong is now at the cross-road, anyone who are concerned about Hong Kong should ask themselves - Is there anything that I can do still remain undone ? " Martin Lee told me briefly at the end of my photo-taking.


On this day, at midnight, on the balcony of today's Court of Final Appeal, Martin Lee and his comrades declared to Hong Kong citizens and to the World, that they will fight and carry on with their struggle for democracy BEYOND 1997.


All is gone... TWENTY YEARS have passed away.  Martin Lee stand alone.



He impressed me with his knightly temperament.




Dedicated to Mr. Martin Lee.

Liau Chung Ren （ 廖中仁 ）
2017, 6-30 on the evening of 20th anniversary of the HANDOVER.
Instagram@bluuren

* English translation from original Chinese script, some modifications are made. English translation by the author.