United Nations Association of Hong Kong
| 聯合國香港協會 | |
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| Formation | 1 January 1953 |
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| Founder | Ma Man-fai |
| Location | |
| Affiliations | World Federation of United Nations Associations |
The United Nations Association of Hong Kong (Chinese: 聯合國香港協會) was a political organisation formed for promoting the values of the United Nations to Hong Kong residents. It was founded by Director of Sincere Co. Ltd Ma Man-fai in 1953.
It allied with the Reform Club of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Civic Association, the two largest political groups for a further constitutional reform in Hong Kong. Ma took an even more radical approach in the Civic-Reform coalition, striving for the self-government of the Hong Kong residents.
The Association's proposal of 1961 suggested:
- the creation of Hong Kong citizenship for all long-term residents, irrespective of race or nationality, as a guarantee for voting and other civic rights, "so that every individual can voice his free opinion without fear or arbitrary action" as allowed under the still-unrepealed emergency ordinances; and
- free universal elementary and secondary schooling, "so that every citizen can more readily learn to understand and assume the responsibility of democratic government."
- elected district bodies should replace the Urban Council. The district representatives would elect a few legislative councilors as a transitional measure, preparatory to their direct election by all adults who had been resident in Hong Kong for seven years.[1]
Elsie Elliot was once the member of the Association from 1962 to 1967. Hilton Cheong-Leen was also its member. Governors Alexander Grantham and Robert Black were the patrons of the association. Due to the association's high-profile criticism against the government, it put the government in an embarrassing position of whether to continue its patronage of the association.
In 1983, Ma Man-fai left the association after his leadership was being stripped away by another group in the association. Since then the association was absorbed into the united front of the pro-Beijing camp.
References
[edit]- ^ Pepper, Suzanne (2008). Keeping Democracy at Bay:Hong Kong and the Challenge of Chinese Political Reform. Rowman & Littlefield Books. p. 137. ISBN 9780742508774.
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