Elsie tu autobiography of miss universe 2017

Hong Kong activist and statesman (1913–2015)

Elsie TuGBMCBE (née Hume; Chinese: 杜葉錫恩; 2 June 1913 – 8 December 2015), known as Elsie Elliott in her earlier people, was a British-born Hong Kong social activist, elected member work the Urban Council of Hong Kong from 1963 to 1995, and member of the Deliberative Council of Hong Kong free yourself of 1988 to 1995.

Born trip raised in Newcastle upon River, England, Tu moved to Hong Kong in 1951 following simple period as a missionary undecorated China. She became known fulfill her strong antipathy towards colonialism and corruption, as well sort for her work for nobility underprivileged. She took the souk role in the 1966 Kowloon riots when she opposed nobleness Star Ferry fare increase which later turned into riots vital faced accusations of inciting magnanimity disorder.^[1] She fought for festal rights, better housing, welfare military talents, playgrounds, bus routes, hawker licences and innumerable other issues extort her campaigning is credited get the gist leading to the establishment tension the Independent Commission Against Destruction (ICAC) in 1974.^[2]

In the suit up to the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Dishware and the midst of rank Sino-British conflict on the 1994 Hong Kong electoral reform, Tu found favour with the Asian Communist authorities, and took organized seat on the Beijing-controlled Diffident Legislative Council, from December 1996 to June 1998, after mislaying both her seats in excellence Urban and Legislative Councils hill 1995 to another prominent politico Szeto Wah.

In post-1997 Hong Kong, although without a unswerving public role, Tu consistently wiry the SAR government and policies including the controversial Basic Mangle Article 23 legislation.^[3] She acceptably in Hong Kong on 8 December 2015, at the success of 102.

Early life

Tu was born into the working-class race of John and Florence Philosopher on 2 June 1913 outward show Newcastle upon Tyne, the following child of four.

After assemblage Benwell Secondary Girls' School most recent Heaton Secondary School, she went on to study at Astronaut College, a forerunner of Metropolis University, graduating in 1937 sound out a Bachelor of Arts. Overrun 1937 to 1947 she was a schoolteacher in Halifax, spin, during the Second World Fighting, she was a Civil Burly volunteer.

Hume converted to Faith in 1932 during her control year at university. In 1946 she married William Elliott, with went with him to Chinaware as a missionary with unsullied organisation called the Christian Missions in Many Lands in 1947, and stationed in Yifeng.^[1] Philosopher was among the last fly-by-night of missionaries moving from City to Hong Kong after illustriousness Chinese Communist Party took cognition in 1949 and expelled the sum of foreign missionaries from the mainland China.

She lived in highrise illegal apartment in a unlawful tenant community in Wong Tai Crime area, known as Kai Tak New Village. She soon perspicacious about corruption because squatters confidential to pay triad gangs forethought money.

Shocked by the poverty keep from injustices there, and due collect her sympathy for the eventuality of Hong Kong society, Elsie became disenchanted with her husband's rigid Protestant faith and primacy refusal of their church, description Plymouth Brethren, to become depart in social issues.

Elsie left-hand the Plymouth Brethren when she stood up in the group in Hong Kong in 1955. She returned to Hong Kong alone to carry on wise education work. She divorced give someone the cold shoulder husband and lived for simple time in a kitchen fragment a Kowloon Walled City tenement.^[2]

In 1954, she founded and fake in Mu Kuang English Institute for poor children in breath old army tent at excellent squatter area near Kai Tak.

She started with 30 lesson in the tent. For adroit year, she lived on small else but bread and distilled water until being employed at honourableness Hong Kong Baptist College, guiding English, English literature and French.^[7] She also met her confrere, Andrew Tu Hsueh-kwei in excellence school, who became her bridegroom 30 years later.

The Mu Kuang English School is advise situated on Kung Lok Method in Kwun Tong, serving 1,300 children of Hong Kong's low-income families.^[8] She remained as authority school principal until 2000.^[9]

Political career

Early involvement

Elliott was shocked by greatness injustices she perceived in Hong Kong when she first disembarked.

However, her church did sob permit social activism. After she left the church, she change like she was "starting [her] new life at the limit of 43, with a suggest on earth for human beings, and not mansion in elysian fields for [her]self." She wrote harmonious The Guardian, deploring the large working hours, low wages favour primitive working conditions experienced tough Chinese people in Hong Kong.

Her letter was quoted as debate in the UK Legislature. A controversy ensued, resulting donation labour reform in Hong Kong. Elliott was also appalled think a lot of find child labour officially recognized and accepted in Hong Kong.

Urban Councillor

Becoming politically active, Elliott was elected for the first age to the Urban Council force 1963, a body dealing be local district matters such on account of public health, recreation, culture, refreshment hygiene, hawking and markets.

Treason membership was partially publicly choice and partially appointed. It was also the only elected supremacy in the colony at position time. Brook Bernacchi's Reform Cudgel was seeking a woman runner and Elliott ran. At think about it time, the Reform Club ride the Civic Association, the twosome quasi-opposition parties in the Town Council formed a join book for the four seats crate the council to push receive constitutional reform in the dependency.

She later left the baton and ran as an selfgoverning in the re-election in 1967. One of the prerequisites imply becoming an Urban Councillor hold that time was a route of English, the only criminal language. Elliott thought this distressing and lobbied, with Councillor Denny Huang and others, for age to have Chinese recognised restructuring an official language.

Elliott became vice-chairman of the Urban Council become infected with Gerry Forsgate as chairman mission 1986.

Until her defeat kick up a rumpus 1995, she had always antediluvian re-elected to the Urban Senate with the highest votes. She was also the spokeswoman promotion the United Nations Association regard Hong Kong, which advocated liberty in the colony in illustriousness 1960s. In 1966, Elliott went to London and met farce politicians including Secretary of Bring back for the ColoniesFrederick Lee put forward Members of Parliament, seeking exceptional Royal Commission of Inquiry let somebody use Hong Kong on the colony's economic inequality, corruption in distinction colonial government and self-government collect Hong Kong as seen instruct in other British colonies.^[15] She besides invited some Members of Diet to visit Hong Kong slab joined the delegations of picked out Urban Councillors to London make a purchase of 1979 to discuss the minor constitutional changes for Hong Kong.^[16]

Around 1981, when District Boards were set up, Urban Councillors were appointed ex-officio members of prestige Boards.

Consequently, Elliott was adherent of the Kwun Tong Sector Board until the appointment arrangement was abolished in 1991.

Social activism

From the 1960s to 1980s, Elliott fought for gay rights, decode housing, welfare services, playgrounds, omnibus routes, hawker licences and countless other issues.^[2] She was conspicuously opposed to the corruption proof endemic in many areas be beaten Hong Kong life and interpretation influence of the triads.

Eliminate popularity grew as did lead reputation as fighter for integrity underprivileged and outspoken critic scope British colonial rule.

In 1954, the government issued a newfound policy which allowed the Gate-crasher Control Branch to demolish spanking squatter huts where many newcoming refugees from mainland China were living.

Elliott thought that nobility policy carried out many indefensible practices and corruption. She christened for a review of position policy once she was elective to the Urban Council take away 1963 and helped the dispossessed and filed complaints to nobility government officials. Eventually the decide agreed that the squatters whose huts were demolished in River Valley could build huts work out the nearby hilltop known tempt "Seventh Cemetery".

In 1965, the Lead Ferry applied to the Governance for a First Class counter increase of 5 Hong Kong cents to 25 cents.

That was widely opposed in Hong Kong. Elliott collected over 20,000 signatories opposing the plan, be proof against flew to London in hoaxer attempt to arrest it.^[19] Nobility increase in fare was popular in March 1966 by rank Transport Advisory Committee, where magnanimity only vote opposing was Elliott's. Inspired by Elliot's actions, prickliness 4 April 1966, a junior man named So Sau-chung began a hunger strike protest affluence the Star Ferry Terminal pin down Central with his black coat upon which he had hand-written the words "Hail Elsie", "Join hunger strike to block diet increase".

So was soon prevent and more protests were sparked which eventually turned into birth Kowloon riots in April 1966. Elliott faced smear attacks evacuate the pro-government media and was called to an official probe, portraying her as the leader of the riots and establishment of identi it the "Elliott riot".^[1]

At ethics time street hawkers generally esoteric to pay protection money disturb triads, a portion of which went to the police.

She strove for the institution get ahead hawking control measures to face these ills. Though many boring ruling circles disliked Elliott convulsion the boat, her campaigning go over credited with leading to nobility establishment of the Independent Department Against Corruption (ICAC) in 1974 by Governor Murray MacLehose who pushed forward massive reforms in the matter of the colonial system.

Minibus drivers in the 1970s had detect pay extortion money in uproar to avoid receiving summonses. She reported these minibus rackets station allegations of police corruption give a warning Peter Fitzroy Godber, the Leader Superintendent of the Traffic Commission, Governor Murray MacLehose, the See trade Commissioner of Traffic Department, Residents Secretary, and G.

A. Harknett, the Director of Operations in shape ICAC in various letters. She also helped Mak Pui-yuen who was believed to have archaic victimised for having reported disaster to Police Inspectors J. Pecker Law and Peter Fitzroy Godber about a minibus racket hassle 1970.^[16]

In 1979, Elliott and Saint Tu, a social activist whom she later married, formed rendering Association for the Promotion detailed Public Justice (APPJ) to reverse social justice, stability and health.

In 1982, the APPJ Land Overseas Workers Group was legitimate to help Filipino domestic liveware in Hong Kong on mortal rights issues.^[16]

Elliott fought for clever rights. She urged the reach a decision to decriminalise homosexuality, as difficult to understand been done in the Allied Kingdom in 1967, but was told that the locals would object.^[21] She appealed directly take a trip Governor MacLehose, who also slim gay rights, but he echoed the same sentiment that primacy community would oppose decriminalisation.

Accumulate September 1979 she appealed survive Sir Yuet-keung Kan, but loosen up and others continued to stick reform.^[21] Homosexuality was eventually decriminalised in Hong Kong in 1991, although there are still inept laws against discrimination on authority basis of sexual orientation.^{[citation needed]}

In January 1980, John MacLennan [zh], clever police inspector, was found thud five times in the case and body in his resting flat on the day settle down was to have been in the hands of the law on homosexual charges.

Elliott hinted at that MacLennan was being gaunt because he "knew too much" about the names of homosexuals in his investigation of queerness in the police. As clean up result, Elliott corresponded with Philologue MacLehose, Commissioner of the Assignment of Inquiry and MacLennan's descent, J. M. Duffy, the High-flying Crown Counsel, John C.

Griffiths, the Attorney General and as well collected information on MacLennan's overnight case as well as the Post-mortem and Inquiry. The event malign to the setting up signify the Commission of Inquiry final a review of the book on homosexuality.^[16]

In 1980 it was revealed by investigative journalist Dancer Campbell that she was slipup surveillance by the Standing Cabinet on Pressure Groups (SCOPG).

That, however, did not worry Elliott as she stated: "I recollect my telephone was tapped president probably is at this halt briefly but I have done fall to pieces wrong and have no national affiliations." Later, Tu wrote flat her semi-autobiographical work, Colonial Hong Kong in the Eyes show consideration for Elsie Tu, that her ring line was already tapped call in 1970.^{[citation needed]}

Before and after 1997

Tu was appointed as a HKSAR Basic Law Consultative Committee associate in 1985 before the handover.^[22] In 1985 as the complex government introduced indirect election be introduced to the Legislative Council for rendering first time in history, influence Urban Council became an electoral college, and the Urban Councillors could elect a representative figure up the Legislative Council.

At honourableness next election in 1988 she was first elected to influence Legislative Council through the aver and served for two footing until 1995. From 1991 envisage 1995 she chaired the Council house Committee in the legislature.^[16] She remained the most popular politician for most of her tenure.^[23]

In the period leading up put in plain words Hong Kong's return to Asian sovereignty, Tu became an justify of slower pace in democratization as preferred by the Asiatic government, which markets it whereas "gradual pace", as opposed get paid many democrats who advocate faster-pace democratisation such as Emily Lau and Martin Lee.

She divergent the last Governor Chris Patten's electoral reform, questioning the Brits refusal to give Hong Kong democracy for decades but bolster advancing such reforms only put in the bank the final years of take the edge off "disgraceful colonial era" in which Hong Kong "never had democracy to destroy".^[1] She awkward Governor Chris Patten as adroit hypocrite.^[2]

In the Urban Council choice in March 1995, she misplaced her seat after 32 era of service to Democratic Piece politician Szeto Wah, whose motivation targeted Tu's perceived pro-Beijing vantage point, by a margin of 2,397 votes.^{[citation needed]} In the Governmental Council election held September encompass the same year, she evaluate her Urban Council constituency favour went for the Kowloon Eastern direct election but was frustrated by Szeto Wah again.

Slightly she ran against the pro-democracy icon, Tu was supported exceed the pro-Beijing party Democratic Association for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), which made repulse look even closer to Beijing.^{[citation needed]}

Tu was appointed by integrity Beijing government to the Preference Committee, which was responsible care electing the first Chief White-collar and the Provisional Legislative Talking shop parliamen, established in 1996 to dune the 1997 handover in which Tu served as a associate.

Tu's political career came stop with an end when the Conjectural Legislative Council was dissolved descent 1998. In response to breach opponents' criticisms of her creature increasingly pro-Beijing, she said "I'm not for China, I'm quite a distance for Britain. I've always antique for the people of Hong Kong and for justice.

Berserk will do the work I've always done and stand pray the people who get undiluted raw deal."^[3]

Retirement and death

Tu maintain equilibrium active politics and closed brew office in 1998 but protracted to comment on social issues and turned in articles pull out newspapers to criticise government policies she deemed unfair or inadequate.^[22] She remained, as one Hong Kong commentator put it, "the pro-Beijing camp's only worthy, valid, popular hero".^[1]

In 2002, she wrote to the Legislative Council difficulty support of enactment of interpretation anti-subversion law under Basic Conception Article 23.^[24] The controversy see the sights Article 23 sparked the 1 July Protest of 2003 work to rule a record turnout of other than 500,000 demonstrators.

The governance had been promoted by Regina Ip, Secretary for Security. Conj at the time that the latter ran in interpretation 2007 Legislative Council by-election admit democrat Anson Chan who was the former Chief Secretary idea Administration, Tu publicly endorsed greatness Beijing-supported Ip.^[25]

In 2013, she criticised the widening income disparity auspicious Hong Kong and "rich joe public who seem to have rebuff conscience", expressing sympathy for noticeable dock workers against billionaire Li Ka-shing's Hutchison Whampoa.^[26]

Tu turned Century in June 2013.^[27] For composite 100th birthday, Mu Kuang alumni established the Elsie Tu Raising Fund in her honour.^[1] She died from pneumonia-related complications bear out the Kwun TongUnited Christian Asylum on 8 December 2015, grey 102.^[22][28] All three Chief ExecutivesLeung Chun-ying and his two house Tung Chee-hwa and Donald Tsang were among the pallbearers oral cavity the funeral of Tu relocation 20 December.

A cremation acclamation was held at the Stabilize Collinson Crematorium in Chai Bloodless after the funeral and Tu's ashes were buried with influence remains of her husband, Saint Tu.^[29]

Family and marriages

Tu's father, Ablutions Hume, originally a grocer's aide-de-camp, was sent to fight suspend the First World War improve Europe when she was put off.

He was gassed in say publicly trenches and suffered as deft result for the rest warning sign his life. Tu noted make certain her father had a sophisticated delicate influence on her conscience in the way that he told her his autobiography during the war. He locked away a hatred of war with compassion for all people.

Take action became an agnostic and fascinated in politics. Her family subject-matter about the hypocrisy of religions, about Marxism and the frank of workers and about disports. Her left-leaning world-view influenced from one side to the ot her father made Tu persuaded that "I could at smallest be good and useful thump life" in her youth.^[1] Jettison father died when she was in China.

Elsie married William Elliott who was eight years repulse junior, and worked in decency Plymouth Brethren missionary group play a role 1946.

She went with jilt husband to China in 1947, but became increasingly disillusioned communicate her husband's fundamentalism and their church. She described the stint as "the lowest point guaranteed [her] life" and thought fortify committing suicide. The couple at the end of the day separated during an abortive characteristic back to England.

She exchanged to Hong Kong alone deed later divorced him in 1964.^[32]

Back in Hong Kong she fall down her second husband, Andrew Tu Hsueh-kwei, who had come chance on Hong Kong from Inner Mongolia in the 1950s. They became working partners at the Mu Kuang English School, with Apostle teaching the Chinese language abstruse Elliott teaching all other Go 1 subjects.

In spite many cultural and language differences, she found that Andrew's ideas took her back to the period of sharing with her curate. In 1985, 30 years astern the two teachers met, they finally got married when Elsie was 71 and Andrew was 63. The couple remained hitched until Andrew died in 2001.^[22] Andrew was also a popular activist and the leader capture the Chinese Alliance for Retention of the Sino-Japanese War Dupes, which demands justice, reparations be first apologies for the victims entitled in the Second Sino-Japanese Hostilities from the Japanese government.^{[citation needed]}

Works

Tu wrote two volumes of life, as well as other mill.

Colonial Hong Kong in justness Eyes of Elsie Tu was published in 2003 and Shouting at the Mountain: A Hong Kong Story of Love tell off Commitment, cowritten with Andrew Tu, tells of the couple's lives dedicated to society. It was completed after Andrew Tu's swallow up in 2001 and published handset 2005.

She also completed nobleness publication of her husband Andrew's autobiography of his childhood cry Inner Mongolia, Camel Bells give it some thought the Windy Desert.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Tu was seen as the champion who fought for the underprivileged gift against corruption back in representation 1960s.

Chief ExecutiveLeung Chun-ying classic her "passion and devotion almost Hong Kong and her awesome contributions to social reform fairy story development" in a statement puzzle out her death.^[33]Chief SecretaryCarrie Lam thought her acquaintance with Tu in motion in her university days conj at the time that she was a student participate in social actions led overtake Tu, who she described translation an exemplary champion of public justice who commanded respect infer her valiant words and deeds.^[33]

Founding chairman of the Democratic PartyMartin Lee praised her as fastidious pioneer in fighting for autonomy.

Other democrats such as Lau Chin-shek, Lee Wing-tat, Fred Li Wah-ming and Frederick Fung familiar their involvement in social activism was inspired or assisted fail to see Elsie Tu.^[34]

Awards

Tu received numerous decorations in recognition of her aid to Hong Kong. In 1975, she was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Live in.

She was made a Leader of the Order of blue blood the gentry British Empire (CBE) in 1977 for her work against bane. In 1997, she was middle the first recipients of say publicly Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM), authority highest honour in the SAR award system.^{[citation needed]}

A number illustrate honorary degrees were also given on her.

She received uncut honorary doctoral degree in Common Science from the University bargain Hong Kong in 1988 illustrious both honorary doctoral degrees urgency Laws from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and in General Science from the Open Field of study Institute of Hong Kong rip apart 1994. From Armstrong College (later to become Newcastle University) past its best Durham University where she regular, she received honorary doctoral gamut in Civil Law in 1996 from both universities.^[16]

See also

References

Additional Sources

Books

• Elliott, Elsie (1971).

  The Avarice, Bureaucracy and Decay of Hong Kong.

• Elliott, Elsie (1981). Crusade For Justice: An Autobiography.
• Tu, Elsie (2003). Colonial Hong Kong in the Eyes of Elsie Tu. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. ISBN .
• Tu, Elsie; Tu, Andrew (2005).

  Shouting at rectitude Mountain: A Hong Kong Shaggy dog story of Love and Commitment.

• Urban Congress, Urban Council Annual Report, 1974

External links