The Perennial Weaponization of 'National Security'
The sentencing of Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, for 'collusion with foreign forces' under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, demands we look beyond the immediate headlines and recognize a well-worn pattern. This is not just about Hong Kong's autonomy; it's about the universal application of an elastic concept designed to silence and control. FIRST INSTANCE: Suppressing
Anti-Colonialism The weaponization of 'national security' has deep roots. One salient early example is the British colonial administration's use of 'emergency regulations' in various territories, particularly in Kenya during the Mau Mau Uprising in the 1950s. The 1952 declaration of a State of Emergency led to the detention of tens of thousands without trial, justified by the need to quell
'terrorism' and protect 'national security' – terms that effectively criminalized independence movements. Critics, both internal and external, were often accused of undermining the 'stability' of the colony, blurring the lines between legitimate protest and sedition. The Lari massacre in 1953, where Mau Mau loyalists killed over 100 Kikuyu, was used as a key justification for intensified
repression, overshadowing the systemic grievances that fueled the uprising (Elkins, 2005). REPETITIONS: From McCarthyism to 'Terrorism' 1950s USA: The McCarthy era saw 'national security' invoked to target suspected communists, with careers destroyed and freedoms curtailed under the banner of protecting the nation from internal subversion. The House Un-American Activities Committee's hearings