【新唐人2014年01月16日訊】香港老牌報紙《明報》更換總編輯的風波，影響越演越烈，繼七百名學者聯署登報後，有香港「民主之父」之稱的民主黨創黨主席李柱銘，在14號的《明報》專欄上，以「開天窗」的方式，抗議《明報》更換總編輯的理由過於荒謬，他呼籲港人關注中共壓制香港新聞自由日趨嚴重。
香港《明報》現任總編劉進圖，上週證實他將被取代。
本身是資深大律師的李柱銘，每逢週二在《明報》副刊刊出《法政隨筆》專欄。本週二14號，《法政隨筆》只出現「黑手蓋日月、本報頓失明」十個字的標題，內容空白。他坦言，他以開天窗的方式，抗議《明報》更換總編輯的舉措。
香港資深大律師李柱銘：「因為我覺得現在香港新聞自由越來越被威脅，很明顯共產黨要用很大的力量壓抑香港的新聞自由，所以我用這個方法引起香港人的關注。」
李柱銘強調，難以接受《明報》對外宣稱的換總編輯的理由。《明報》指稱，原本計劃空降馬來西亞籍的鐘天祥入董事局，但因為鐘天祥不熟悉香港，所以先任職總編輯，熟悉一下香港環境。
李柱銘：「坐在寫字樓學習一下這沒問題，但沒有理由任總編輯，這樣說出來令人難以置信。很明顯是不想《明報》在採訪新聞方面有自由的報導，不然沒有理由這樣做，給一個沒有人相信的理由。」
李柱銘說，《明報》老闆作出這樣的決策，外界估計，可能是﹕在大陸做生意受到壓力。
李柱銘：「不僅是一張報紙，而是一連串的行動，令到市民覺得很明顯共產黨就是要控制香港，新聞自由一定要壓抑，所以我覺得這是香港人的事，我們大家不可以袖手旁觀。」
14號當天，在《明報》副刊同一版上，《女人心》專欄的作者陳惜姿、和《左右飯局》專欄的作者李慧玲，也分別在作品中質疑《明報》空降鍾天祥的決定。
「香港記者協會」擔心《明報》突然撤換總編輯，是香港新聞自由淪陷前的最後一根稻草，而發起了「一人一信」行動。香港「記協」呼籲《明報》的讀者和市民，即日起致函《明報》擁有人張曉卿，表達對此事的關注和憂慮，並促請《明報》管理層暫緩有關人事安排，確保獨立編採方針不變。
另外，日前來自11間香港本地及海外大學的90位學者，就《明報》更換總編輯一事，也發起聯署聲明，質疑《明報》能否堅守過往的編採方針及作風。
香港浸會大學傳理學助理教授杜耀明：「現在新聞自由不是一個學術問題，是一個維權問題，是一個涉及到人權受到侵擾的問題。而這涉及到整個香港所有的人，大家要去思考，用甚麼方法，用甚麼行動去維護這種權利。」
有學者說，目前香港很多新聞機構受到各種各樣的政治控制，令它們不敢去揭露真相。
香港中文大學政治與行政學系副教授馬岳：「第一個層面是每個人的知情權也受到侵害，第二，社會有很多問題其實得不到揭露，亦得不到一個提早改善的機會。而這本身是違反大多數人的利益。可能當權者會開心，但正如我剛才說，到有一日大家才發覺那事情很糟糕時才爆發的話，可能爆發出來的力度更加大。」
據了解，劉進圖，香港大學法律系畢業。在80年代期間，擔任李柱銘的助理，當時李柱銘正出任《基本法》起草委員會委員。1989年發生「六四事件」後，李柱銘退出「草委會」，劉進圖也在同年加入新聞界。
新唐人記者林秀宜香港報導
Lee Chu-Ming Pointed out Black Hands Covering “Ming Pao"
Using Blank Space in Special Column
The influence of Hong Kong’s old newspaper, Ming Pao’s
editor in chief’s replacement is more critical.
After seven hundred scholars jointly posted with concern in the
newspaper; the Hong Kong “father of democracy", Democratic
Party Chairman Lee Chu-ming left a blank space in a special
column to protest the ridiculous reason of replacing the editor
in chief and called attention to the CCP’s increasing
suppression of Hong Kong’s freedom of press.
Last week, Hong Kong “Ming Pao" current chief editor Liu
Jintu confirmed that he will be replaced.
Senior Counsel Lee Chu-ming published special column of
“law and politics notes" every Tuesday in
the Ming Pao supplement.
Tuesday, January 14, the special column only contains the
title, “the newspaper goes blind with black hands covering the
sun and moon" with no content.
He admitted that he was trying to protest Ming Pao’s chief
editor replacement by opening a window.
Senior Hong Kong Counsel Lee Chu-ming: Obviously, the
CCP use great power to repress Hong Kong’s freedom of press
since Hong Kong’s freedom of press
has been increasingly threatened.
So I use this way to attract people’s attention in Hong Kong.
Lee Chu-ming stressed that it’s hard to accept the official
reason for replacing the editor in chief in Ming Pao.
Ming Pao alleged that the original plan was to make Malaysian
Zhong Tianxiang a member of the board of directors.
Since Zhong Tianxiang is not familiar with Hong Kong, he may
first serve as chief editor to get familiar with
the Hong Kong environment.
Lee Chu-ming: There is no problem to sit in
the office learning.
But it’s incredible to appoint him as editor in chief.
Obviously they don’t want Ming Pao to report the news
freely and gave such an unbelievable reason.
Lee Chu-ming said, to make such a decision, the Ming Pao
boss probably conducted business under pressure in mainland.
Lee Chu-ming: Not only a newspaper, but a series of actions
made people believe that the CCP wants to control Hong Kong
and oppress Hong Kong’s freedom of press.
So I believe it’s something that the Hong Kong people and I
cannot stand by idly.
On Jan. 14, in the same edition of the Ming Pao supplement,
the other two column authors Chen Xizi and Li Huiling also
questioned Ming Pao’s decision on airborne Zhong Tianxiang.
The Hong Kong Reporter Association launched a one person,
one letter campaign concerning Ming Pao’s chief editor’s
sudden replacement acting as the final straw before
the freedom of press falls.
The Hong Kong Reporter Association calls for Ming Pao"
readers and the public to express concern and anxiety to
Ming Pao’s owner Tiong Hiew King and urge Ming Pao to
postpone the personnel arrangements to ensure its
editorial independence policy is maintained.
In addition, recently 90 scholars from 11 local and overseas
universities also launched a joint statement to question if
Ming Pao can adhere to past editorial policy and style
regarding the replacement of editor in chief.
Hong Kong Baptist University, Assistant Professor of
Communication Studies Yiu-ming Du: Now the freedom of press
is not an academic issue but a rights issue which is related
to the intrusion of human rights .
Such human rights are related to everybody in Hong Kong
which deserves us to think about how to uphold those rights.
Some scholars say that there are all kinds of news
organizations under a variety of political control making them
dare not expose the truth.
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ma Ngok, Associate
Professor of Politics and Administration: The first level is
to deprive the right to know for everyone; secondly, there are
a lot of unrevealed social problems that can’t
be handled early.
It is contrary to the majority interests.
The authorities might be happy.
But as I said earlier, once it breaks out, it might burst out
with greater intensity.
It is said that Liu Jintu graduated from
Hong Kong University law school.
In the 80s, he was Lee Chu-ming’s assistant and served as a
member of the Drafting Committee for " basic law".
In 1989 after the “4th June Incident", Lee Chu-ming exited the
“Drafting Committee" and Liu Jintu joined the
media in the same year.
Interview/LinXiuyi
