Hong Kong’s poor living in cages

yikes. This is SO disturbing.

cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com...

I had understood that Hong Kong was a progressive, cosmopolitan country, and not an example of residual Chinese culture.

Small enclosures line the room, leaving just enough headroom to sit up within the confined walls. Money is as tight as the spaces hidden among multimillion dollar high-rise apartments.

In 2009, Australia-based photographer Brian Cassey flew to Hong Kong, where he had discovered people were living in nothing more than cages because of dire economic conditions.

But nailing down the location of these caged dwellings proved to be harder than Cassey expected.

There is SO MUCH going on here on planet Earth, that so few know about.
I understand conservation of space, but....why the cage thing? Does anyone else here, ATS, find this just really outrageous? Homeless or shelters for the poor do not need "cages." I just don't get it.

those conditions look better than where im currently living

A bit more from the photog's statements:

“The atmosphere was one of resigned but controlled despair,” he said. “From those few I talked to, they are resigned to their fate,” deeming it preferable to being homeless.

He found the situation “extremely depressing” but said he was impressed by the attitudes of many of the people living there.

“The cage home residents I met acted, despite their dire circumstances, with amazing dignity and grace,” he said.

WTF thats horrid looks like the walmart employee housing in china seen the documentary
how much humanity do we have left ?

A couple of days ago, I spent several hours with my mother. During that visit, we discussed the issues going on here in the USA, and also the global situation of so many millions of people everywhere.

I have, in my driveway, a sailboat on a trailer. A Catlina 22, 1977 hull. I was talking to her about the fact that my husband and I are using up his savings while he looks for work as an IT quality assurance specialist. Nine months now.

She suggested I sell the boat, and guesstimated I could get $500 for it, maybe.

I said, "No, I'm not going to sell it, because if we lose the house, at least we will have somewhere to live."

Our two vehicles (one a truck capable of pulling the boat on its trailer, the other an '89 Honda that runs like a jewel) are paid for. The boat, also, has no lien on it.

If the SHTF, I WILL have shelter. Not much bigger than these "cages", but mine, and under the control of no one.
Brightest regards to you all, ATS,
please know how much I value this cyber-community.
--wt

Does not look like it is wedged between any
multi-million dollar high rises to me.

While I do believe this is how some poor
in China live, what makes you think the people
with money or living
in multi-millions dollar high rises want to look out there window
and see this crap hole..


They wouldn't, just like in America there are rich and poor
areas. I agree this is a terrible living situation and
i'm sure these people would move if they could afford
a better place... My point being a homeless person
would be happy to have that little cage.
CNN had ads popping up all over the pictures
and are making money off selling them to viewers.

There no better then the slum lords running these hell holes.

reply to post by popsmayhem

My point being a homeless person
would be happy to have that little cage.
CNN had ads popping up all over the pictures
and are making money off selling them to viewers.

There no better then the slum lords running these hell holes.

I understand your point. It is sensationalism by CNN (but who, seriously, does not expect that from MSM?)

My point is that they (the people in those fenced enclosures) are being treated like animals in a shelter, rather than being provided for and helped to get back to where they are free to live without same enclosures.

reply to post by wildtimes



I visited Hong Kong 11 years ago.

There was an area of a few blocks in which over a million people lived in highrise low income "projects".

A woman I talked to told us that when she was a child her family shared a 12' X12' room with another family. They had to cook in the hallway.

Hong Kong back then was doing what they called "reclamation" and trying to add landmass onto the coastline in order to make room for more buildings.

There was a large population of filipino workers going to Hong Kong for a better life.

I found the city to be very clean.


It was very crowded.

But they seemed ahead of America when it came to the use of cell phone technology. I was also surprised that in a small store in which you might find 2 people working, in Hong Kong they would have 8 people on staff.

Speaking of China...

China: Secret " black jails " hide severe human right's abuses

China: Enforced disappearances a growing threat

China: Don't legalize secret detention

China: Detainees 'disappeared after Xiniang protests

" We are afriad to even look for them "

And the list goes on..guess who is in charge of the mines below.


Gold's image tarnished by child labour in mines

China in Zambia: trouble down in the mines

Zambia: Workers detail abuse in Chinese owned mines

" You'll be fired in you refuse "

reply to post by dusty1

There is a high-rise "project" not half a mile from my home. The people, while they may have more roommates than is comfortable, are not given "cages" in which to live.

I was under the impression that the Asian cultures are not prone to thievery, vandalism, etc. So, why do they have, rather than "roommates", a "cell" in which they must sleep and think and dwell?

Guys and gals, I appreciate your attention to this thread. But for now, I have to sleep. I'll of course check tomorrow to see other responses or rebuttals to the thread.

Warmest regards as always,
wt

reply to post by Daedal


Thanks, Daedal. I will look at those sources. I just really, really want to understand what is actually going on that is so NOT reported and common knowledge to the rest of the world.
G'night, guys....
and keep up the vigilance!

Originally posted by wildtimes
reply to post by popsmayhem

 

My point being a homeless person
would be happy to have that little cage.
CNN had ads popping up all over the pictures
and are making money off selling them to viewers.

There no better then the slum lords running these hell holes.

I understand your point. It is sensationalism by CNN (but who, seriously, does not expect that from MSM?)

My point is that they (the people in those fenced enclosures) are being treated like animals in a shelter, rather than being provided for and helped to get back to where they are free to live without same enclosures.

I think we are doing the peope in the pictures a disservice.
All we can do is feel bad for them. I cant afford to do anything
for them and a person who makes a million a year feels the same
way I do because they own a 3 million dollar home and 100 thousand
dollar car they have to pay off, kid's to send to college, and are
saving the rest in a 401k. These people in the picture don't
want us to feel bad for them. I think they take pride in having
what they do even if it is a cage. What we should take from these photos
is not what the article wants us to think, it is that your life might suck
but it can always get worse..

What I don't understand is why are the beds in cages in the first place? why not just beds?

All I can think is that maybe it's easier to hang things on the cage to save space? Or maybe it creates a sense of privacy?

Perhaps a sense of security? You can't get raped or have you valuables stolen if you close the cage at night.

Second line is paranoid about sleeping in public.

reply to post by wildtimes


Maybe they sleep in those cages so they wont get stuff stolen at night or perhaps to keep from getting raped at night. Looks like a rough neighborhood.

reply to post by _Phoenix_


My thoughts exactly. But you know what else I noticed? Many of them have edema of the feet. More than likely from the cramped confines of their living spaces. Why do they not get out and walk about more? Is it perhaps to keep their belongings safe? So sad... The less you have the more valuable it is. Maybe they all need shopping carts? Totally serious here... Something so simple could improve the quality of their lives.

Have ATS members ever grouped together and organized their own humanatarian efforts? We point stuff like this out every day. But do we ever do anything about it?

they look like they are living in a chicken coop. getting ready to be slaughtered for a meat factory. i sense a big revolution coming around the world.

This is an absolute disgrace.

I'd like to watch someone tell these people that "being poor is their fault" and that they are "just not trying hard enough."