Prostitute boycotts Chinese on ethical grounds

By George Pitcher World Last updated: December 29th, 2009

127 Comments Comment on this article

One of the more touching messages I receive in the run-up to the outrageous execution of Akmal Shaikh in China this morning is from a London-based “working girl”, who tells me she is boycotting all Chinese clients for a year in protest.

Please, spare me any sanctimonious injunctions about her chosen way of life. She’s doing what she can. And how many business people have decided today to withdraw their services from the Chinese? I think, in this context at least, she is acting with great dignity and self-respect.

She writes:

Dear Father Pitcher,

I read your article on Akmal Shaikh with interest. It says the Chinese will face serious consequences if the execution goes ahead.

I don’t suppose you will find the following consequences serious, but I know some people who will..

[She then includes a link to her website]

That site is probably not worksafe if anyone is monitoring your internet usage, but it is my advert on [she includes an escort directory]. I am an escort. I’m boycotting Chinese passport holders for a year if the execution goes ahead. I can pick and choose my clients and I don’t need any from murderous regimes.

I’m in two minds about those from Hong Kong, but will allow Taiwanese.

[She then signs with what I take to be a real name, followed by her working name. I include neither here because, at the time of writing, I don't have her permission.]

I love that equivocation over Hong Kong. On her website, not yet updated after Mr Shaikh’s execution,  she adds:

Incidentally, if you are the holder of a Chinese passport you had better get your booking in tonight. After Akmal Shaikh, the mentally ill man, is executed tomorrow – you are on short rations for a year! In fact, no rations at all. Diu lai no mo hai, far as I’m concerned.

Could someone translate that Chinese for me? I reply to her as follows:

Dear [.....],

Good for you! I think that’s a highly principled stand – and I think that if everyone similarly did what they could by way of trade sanctions then we might make some progress with the Chinese.

Thanks for writing and have a very happy New Year.

And I mean it. The whole exchange is strangely uplifting and I’m really glad she wrote to me. Bless you, [consider your name here], GP

网上的简单翻译：

中国不顾英国政府抗议，将处死英国公民Akmal Shaikh（阿克毛）的消息传出之后，一位英国伦敦的妓女高调宣布：如果中国真的处死了阿克毛，她将在一年内拒绝接待持有中国护照的嫖客，但台湾护照的中国人不在抵制范围内，对香港护照持有者会区别对待。

　　英国外交部次官刘易斯（Ivan Lewis）就曾经公然威胁中国说：“我不会只作出装腔作势的威胁。”。英国妓女的威胁也可能就是刘易斯所指的实质威胁的一种吧。

　　George Pitcher是《每日电讯报》的宗教栏目编辑兼英国圣公会的牧师。他一直在自己的博客上发表针对中国强硬的文章。他最近收到一封令他十分感动的妓者来信。并将其公布在自己的博客上。信中大意是：

　　我最近以极大的兴趣阅读了你有关阿克毛的文章（指George Pitcher的文章）。你的文章说，如果中国执行了死刑，中国将面临严重后果。

　　我知道你不会觉得下面的后果很严重，但某些人会这么认为。

　　我决定，如果中国政府真的对阿克毛执行了死刑，我将在一年内拒绝接待持有中国护照的客人。我可以选择我自己的顾客，我不欢迎那些来自杀戮成性的国度的人。但我会区别对待来自香港的客人，来自台湾的仍然被允许（成为顾客）。

　　如果你是中国人，你最好今天晚上就赶紧预约我的时间，有精神病的毒贩阿克毛在明天被处决后，你将在一年内失去（成为我顾客的）机会。一点机会都没有。 我关心的就是对你说：Diu lai no mo hai （编辑注：脏话，也就是“丢你老母”的意思。看来该妓女的中国客人很多。）