Hole of Justice

Hole of Justice
by Peter G. Jimenea



How Hong Kong became a British colony



The rise and fall of the Western Empires has shaped the narcotics traffic in Asia. In 1500s, opium abused and narcotics trafficking were unknown until Portuguese warships arrived into the very web of Asian life.



Before the European powers arrived, China and other Asian states were isolationist empires. Less than a decade after Christopher Columbus discovered America, Portuguese explorers has already reached China with import opium from India.



In 1800s, European powers financed their colonial ambition through opium trade. The British led the drive to mass merchandise opium and became the first Western government to engage in the trafficking of narcotics despite the moral objection of its people.



As the Indian opium shipments increased, so is the number of Chinese addicts. The Emperor banned opium as it is considered a desecration of the body and violation of Confusian philosophy being taught by the Chinese teachers.



The British captains, however, ignored the imperial bans and sailed into Chinese ports with more opium shipments. The British opium shipment to China zoomed from 200 tons in the year 1800 to ten times more, 2000 tons in 1840.



Although the C'hing dynasty was politically weak and riddled with corruption, it resented being exploited by the British colonial aspiration and tried to stop the drug. The Chinese seized and destroyed $6M worth of opium and arrested some British traders at the port.



The traders were exiled in the frozen tundra of Central Asia and one was crucified on the Canton docks to publicly show their resentment against the use of opium. The frustration extended to the Far Eastern Boston Tea Party as Cantonese officials dumped several tons of British opium into the sea.



Angered by the Chinese act, British warships responded by shelling the coastline and a full scale war erupted from 1840 to 1856. The Chinese junks and rusted cannons were no match against the modern and powerful British fleet that the war resulted in total British victory.



Dubbed "the Opium Wars" by the Chinese, they became powerless to stop Britain's drug trade and even charged with a high cost of war damaged. Unable to pay the onerous reparations, China ceded Hong kong to British control on the condition that it will be returned to them after a lapse of time which prescribed on July 1997.



After the "Opium Wars" the British increased their opium trafficking. By 1880, 6,500 tons of opium annually were instrumental in creating 100 million smokers and 15 million addicts. Britain has made opium the world's largest cash commodity.



The Chinese government finally tolerated domestic opium cultivation in two provinces. By 1900, it was turning a blind eye to an annual yield of 20,000 tons. Addiction spread from China to Southeast Asia, that in 1906, the London House of Commons pronounced Britain's involvement immoral.



Sad to say, before Hong kong was returned to Mainland China in July 1997, the 14K, the dominant Triad gang in the colony immediately migrated to the West and other neighboring countries acting like passengers catching the last plane out. On what misfortune, they brought with them their wares!



In Mainland China they have a very simple solution to drug problem, a bullet in the head done in public. Western powers addicted millions of Chinese people and dragged us into this mess due to their colonial aspiration. Well at least, they get the dose of their own medicine, the Triads are now returning the favor to the West with a vengeance!