a whistleblower and a hero

2015/11/03 08:41:16 網誌分類: 生活

03 Nov

        　　One of the world's most famous whistleblowers was a senior FBI official nicknamed Deep Throat. He leaked confidential information to two Washington Post reporters to expose the illegal things President Richard Nixon did in what came to be known as the Watergate scandal. Deep Throat's real name was revealed in 2005. Another famous whistleblower is Edward Snowden, who worked for the US National Security Agency. He leaked secret information about world-wide illegal electronic spying and monitoring of emails by the US. Many people say whistleblowers are heroes, but what exactly is a whistleblower? The Oxford Dictionary defines a whistleblower as a person who reveals information about illegal or immoral activity. The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a person who provides information about illegal activity, especially by the government or a company.

        　　Many people have praised Hong Kong University Student Union president Billy Fung Jing-en as a whistleblower and a hero who dared to leak details of a confidential meeting of the Hong Kong University Council to discuss the appointment of Johannes Chan Man-mun as pro-vice-chancellor. But is it accurate to describe him as a whistleblower? It is not accurate if you look at the exact meaning of a whistleblower in tthe Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries. As a HKU Council member, he revealed the names of council members who voted against Chan Man-mun as pro-vice-chancellor, and he revealed what they said even though the meeting was confidential.

        　　Voting against Chan Man-mun and saying he is not qualified as pro-vice-chancellor are not illegal or immoral activities. The HKU Council allows members to vote how they want and to express opinions. Fung Jing-en is, therefore, not a real whistleblower according to the dictionary because he only leaked information about the opinions and votes of others that he disagreed with for political reasons. The unidentified person who leaked an audio of what council member Arthur Li Kwok-cheung said during the meeting is also not a true whistleblower because Li Kwok-cheung did not say anything illegal when he voted against Chan Man-mun. It is more accurate to call a person who leaks information for political reasons a snitch (informer, traitor).

        * * *

        　　世界上其中一個最知名的告密者（whistleblowers），就是綽號「深喉」的美國聯邦調查局高官，他向兩名《華盛頓郵報》記者洩露機密資訊，揭發總統尼克遜的非法活動，就是後來被稱為「水門醜聞」的事件。「深喉」的真實姓名在二○○五年曝光。另一位著名的告密者（whistleblower）就是斯諾登，他曾替美國國家安全局工作。他洩露了有關美國全球性非法電子監視及電郵監控的秘密資訊。許多人說洩密者（whistleblowers）是英雄，但到底洩密者（whistleblowers）是甚麼？牛津字典就將whistleblower定義為披露非法或不道德活動的人。劍橋詞典就將之定義為提供有關非法活動——特別來自於政府或公司——資訊的人。

        　　許多人讚揚香港大學學生會會長馮敬恩為whistleblower和英雄，敢於洩露香港大學校委會在機密會議上討論陳文敏的副校長任命時細節。但將他形容為 whistleblower是否準確？若果根據牛津和劍橋字典就whistleblower的解釋，那顯然不準確。作為港大校委會成員，他披露了否決陳文敏為副校長的成員名單，而即使會議是保密的，他又披露了他們在會上所說的。

        　　否決陳文敏，說他未夠資格做副校長，都不是非法或不道德的活動。港大校委會容許成員按意願投票及發表意見。因此，根據字典，馮敬恩並非真正的whistleblower，因為他只不過因着政治理由，洩露了與他意見不一的人的見解和投票意向。那位洩露校委會成員李國章會議講話錄音的不知名人士，也不是真正的 whistleblower，因為李國章否決陳文敏時，沒有說過甚麼違法的事。因為政治原因而洩露資訊的人，更準確的叫法是snitch（告密者、叛徒）。 mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

回應 (0)

我要發表

a whistleblower and a hero

網誌分類

最新網誌

月曆