給英國人民的一封公開信

陳真1997. 8. 15.

我們是一群主要來自亞洲的留學生，分佈英國各地。貴國是一個文化內涵豐富的國家，各地都有它吸引人的特色。但是，不管是劍橋、約克、牛津或愛丁堡，它還有一項共同「特色」，那就是種族歧視。

不論白天夜晚大街小巷，不論男女，大部份亞洲留學生都有過被當街無故唾罵、言詞騷擾鄙夷、甚至肢體攻擊的經驗。短短一條街，三百公尺的距離，可以連續遇上面目猥瑣、口吐穢言的貴國公民或青少年。其中又以女性留學生言詞受辱情況最為嚴重。也就是說，除了種族歧視外，還有更為肆無忌憚的性別壓迫。我們認為：所有這些侵犯人權的行為，都必須制止。

任何一位文明的英國人民都會同意：這兩項問題，受害最大的，其實並不是亞洲留學生，而是英國本身。因為，一個國家是否能在文明上持續有所進展，和人權保障的程度有絕對的相關。我們相信：絕大多數的英國人民，是世界上最優秀的人民之一。這可從貴國人民令人感動的保護動物歷史看得出來。平常，我們也有許多可敬的英國朋友，深切感受到即使不相識的英國人溫暖的善意。可是，少數人出於無知的行為，卻足以使貴國蒙受污名。

我們自己的國家分別有不同的問題，這也是為什麼我們願意忍受思念，離開故鄉和親友，來到英國的原因。希望有一天，我們的家鄉也能和貴國一樣，在文明的的發展上有重要的進步與貢獻。但是，我們不但愛故鄉，也時時提醒自己，要像愛護自己家鄉和親友一樣，愛護貴國與貴國人民。我們相信：今天我們所要從事的，正是對貴國最好的感激與回報。這也是我們決定這麼做的原因之一。我們相信：絕大多數英國人民都會支持我們的看法。

原因之二是：如果身為高等知識份子的我們，都無法在這麼初級的人權保障問題上為自己取得公道，我們便不可能宣稱憑藉所學，能促使我們自己國家的進步。 若否，學術上的所謂成就，除了為個人博得虛名，將無太大意義。

我們不想傲慢地指導貴國人民及政府該如何作為。我們相信，只要勇於認識問題，透過眾人的智慧，一定能找到一個有效的政策與教育方式。為了促進這項反省與對策的早日實現，我們打算在極度忙碌的研究寫作中，以極有限的人力，在無時間表的情況下，進行以下幾種行動：

一，不定期不定點宣導：我們極樂意再三提醒人們，有關人權的基本精神與價值。

二，發表相關文章或刊物。

三，持續發動寫信，呼籲民間及政府人員重視此事。

如果所有這些行動，仍無法有效改善種族歧視及性別壓迫問題，我們仍將堅持非武力原則，找出更好的行動方法，尋求更多人支持，如靜坐、禁食等，追求一個大家樂於遵守，合乎普世人權標準的種族、異性相處之道。

An Open Letter to the British People

Emir Chen 1997. 8. 15.

We are a group of students mainly from Asian countries, studying at universities in different parts of Britain. Your country is a nation with a rich and diverse culture, with attractive characteristics in all places. However, whether in Cambridge, York, Oxford or Edinburg, there is one common “characteristic” –racial discrimination.

During day time or at night, on quiet alleys or busy streets, almost every Asian student, male or female, has had the experience of being called names, harassed, obstructed in the street, or even physically assaulted. Within the short distance of one street , it is possible to have to confront abusive language from both adults and children several times. In these incidents, the offended persons are mostly female students. This is to say, besides racial discrimination, there is also sexual discrimination. We hold that all these violations of human rights have to be stopped.

Every civilized Britain person would agree: though Asian students suffer, the greatest victim of these two problems is Britain itself, because the protection of human rights is an essential part of the progress towards a civilized life. We believe that the majority of the British people live up to Britain’s long tradition of civilized life, which is exemplified by its achievements in political reform, or by its concern, in recent years, for animal welfare. During our stay in this country, we have made many British friends and feel from them a deep sense of cordial friendship; we have also experienced goodwill from people whose names we do not even know. However, the ignorant behaviour of some British people has blemished Britain’s good name.

We come from different countries each with its own problems; this is why we are willing to bear the emotional suffering of being away from our homelands, our relatives and friends, in order to come to Britain. We hope that one day, our homelands could be the same as your country, making a sustained and important contribution to the development of civilization. However, we not only care about the future of our own homelands and people, we keep reminding ourselves that we have to do the same for your land and people. We believe that what we intend to carry out today is the best way to show our gratitude. This is one of the reasons that we have chosen to do this. We believe that the majority of the British people will support our cause.

Furthermore, we ask ourselves how we are to contribute to progress in our own countries, if, as educated, articulate people, we cannot even ask for justice on the most elementary issues of human rights for ourselves. If all our intellectual achievements were only for personal advancement, they would not be worth much.

We do not wish to instruct the British government and tell the British people what to do. We believe that if these problems could be honestly acknowledged, effective policies and methods for education could be attained. In order to speed up the process, we plan, in our little spare time from our studies and research and with our limited resources, to carry out the following actions, with no exact timetable:

1. advocate the basic values and essence of human rights;

2. publish articles and pamphlets;

3. ask people to write to non-governmental organizations and government officials regarding this matter.

If these actions still do not improve the situation of racial and sexual discrimination, we will pursue other non-violent methods such as marches, consecutive sit-ins and fasts. We hope that through these actions, racial and sexual discrimination can be confronted so that British society may progress toward a situation in which the human rights of all races and sexes will be fully respected.