Occupy Central
Occupy Central is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to "international standards." The movement was initiated by Benny Tai Yiu-ting (戴耀廷), an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, in January 2013.
Umbrella Movement
The Umbrella Movement (Chinese: 雨傘運動; pinyin: yǔsǎn yùndòng) is a loose political movement that was created spontaneously during the Hong Kong protests of 2014. Its name derives from the recognition of the umbrella as a symbol of defiance and resistance against the Hong Kong government, and the united grass-roots objection to the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) of 31 August.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
POST OCCUPY CENTRAL - DAY 156:
Full coverage of the day’s events on 21-05
Democrat in cold for signature idea
Democrat Nelson Wong Sing-chi had his party membership suspended last night despite making a U-turn on a call for a public signature campaign to pressure pan-democratic legislators to vote for the government's political reform proposals.
The Democratic Party's central committee decided on this temporary action after a meeting of nearly two hours.
When members of the committee had convened to discuss Wong's case, the question was what action to take if he pushed ahead with his idea.
But Wong, a former legislator who had quit the committee as the signature row simmered, said he decided to scrap the idea after Zhang Rongshun, vice chairman of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, ruled out changes to the reform proposal.
"I decided to scrap the signature campaign after my friends reminded me that Beijing will not make changes," Wong explained.
He had called on pan-democratic lawmakers to vote for the reform proposals if Beijing and the SAR administration would accept revisions in choices on ballot papers and Nominating Committee changes.
But Zhang said there was no chance of a "none of the above" option on ballot papers for the 2017 chief executive election and ruled out changes in subsectors of the 1,200-strong Nominating Committee by replacing corporate votes with individual votes.
Zhang urges pan-dems to support reform proposal
The pan-democrats have been urged to listen to the voices of the majority and to support the SAR government's reform proposal.
The plea was made by liaison office director Zhang Xiaoming yesterday when he addressed more than 1,000 young people at the Boao Youth Forum for Asia (Hong Kong), held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Zhang said implementing universal suffrage in the 2017 chief executive election is the common aspiration of the central government, the SAR government and Hong Kong people.
"It [the implementation of universal suffrage] is not only in connection with the interests of people from all walks of life and sectors in Hong Kong's society, it is also related to the relations between the central government and SAR government, national sovereignty, national security and national development interest," Zhang said.
He added: "It not only has an impact on the opportunity for the people of this generation to become involved in the political field, but also the chance for young people from the present and into the future." Zhang also called on the younger generation to be broad-minded so as to boost the city's development.
Also speaking at the forum, acting Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said implementing the government's reform proposal will help Hong Kong take a "historic step" in democratic development and stressed that the proposal is both constitutional and fair.
"We are at present at a critical moment in constitutional development," Lam said. "The government's reform proposal is all-round, constitutional, legal, fair, reasonable and what is feasible. It will enable Hong Kong to take a historic step in democratic development."
Lam was briefly disrupted by a group of university student unions' representatives who stood up and chanted slogans against the reform, saying it was "doomed to failure."
They were subsequently escorted out of the venue by security guards.
Federation of Trade Unions' honorary president Cheng Yiu-tong said he believed that the ties between Beijing and Hong Kong will be affected if political reform cannot be passed by the Legislative Council.
Cheng said he hoped that the pan-democratic lawmakers can raise concrete demands on how the reform proposal can be revised.
`Dream Bear' tells of his CY mistake
"Dream Bear" Lew Mon-hung said yesterday he made a mistake in supporting Leung Chun-ying during the 2012 chief executive elections.
Lew was acquitted on all three charges in a money-laundering trial involving Pearl Oriental Innovation.
On a radio program, the former aide said he has "clapped the wrong hands," "lit the wrong fireworks," "cast the wrong vote" and wrongly supported Leung in the elections for the top job.
He called for Leung to reflect on himself for his work in the past three years in office, and said the political reform cannot be approved.
"CY has been in power for almost three years. Our society's divisions have risen to an astounding level," he said.
"Look at our political reform. The government is getting stronger in its stance, blocking all gaps and loopholes with concrete. This completely dispels the idea that politics is the art of compromise.
"The democrats don't like you, and many of the pro-establishment secretly disagree with you."
On Wednesday, Lew was acquitted by an eight-man jury of conspiracy to defraud and dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offense. It related to the acquisition of natural gas and oil fields in Utah, the United States.
His co-defendants Yik Siu-hung and Kitty Yip Sui-kuen will learn their sentences in the High Court today.
Youngsters urged to attend June 4 vigil
Months after Occupy Central paralyzed Hong Kong streets but split the student federation, the organizer of the June 4 candlelight vigil called on the younger generation to attend the annual event amid fears of a lower turnout.
At least three university student unions have said they will be at the 26th anniversary vigil at 8pm on June 4 in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China said.
The alliance has also printed 5,000 Chinese- language "6-4 Q and A" leaflets a list of 26 questions and answers on the Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy students for those not born at the time.
Alliance chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, who is also a Democratic Party legislator, said yesterday: "I am confident of maintaining a high turnout this year. Many people remain very much concerned and many are increasingly concerned about the general human rights situation in the mainland.
"I think many Hong Kong residents treasure our freedoms and are able to speak out for those who are silenced in the mainland."
Days ahead of the vigil, he alliance will also hold a march from Southorn Playground, Wan Chai, to the central government liaison office in Western on May 31.
The Federation of Hong Kong Students will not join the vigil for the first time following an objection by one of its member student unions.
"We tried to contact some of its member- university student unions. Up to now, there are three and we anticipate more unions will participate on that day," alliance vice chairman Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong said.
Tsoi said most of the "new generation" are mobilized not by student organizations, but by "ideology or values."
But organizers acknowledge youngsters have issues and questions about June 4, and that is why they decided to produce the question-and- answer leaflets. Online versions are available on the alliance's Facebook page.
Months after Occupy Central paralyzed Hong Kong streets but split the student federation, the organizer of the June 4 candlelight vigil called on the younger generation to attend the annual event amid fears of a lower turnout.
At least three university student unions have said they will be at the 26th anniversary vigil at 8pm on June 4 in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China said.
The alliance has also printed 5,000 Chinese- language "6-4 Q and A" leaflets a list of 26 questions and answers on the Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy students for those not born at the time.
Alliance chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, who is also a Democratic Party legislator, said yesterday: "I am confident of maintaining a high turnout this year. Many people remain very much concerned and many are increasingly concerned about the general human rights situation in the mainland.
"I think many Hong Kong residents treasure our freedoms and are able to speak out for those who are silenced in the mainland."
Days ahead of the vigil, he alliance will also hold a march from Southorn Playground, Wan Chai, to the central government liaison office in Western on May 31.
The Federation of Hong Kong Students will not join the vigil for the first time following an objection by one of its member student unions.
"We tried to contact some of its member- university student unions. Up to now, there are three and we anticipate more unions will participate on that day," alliance vice chairman Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong said.
Tsoi said most of the "new generation" are mobilized not by student organizations, but by "ideology or values."
But organizers acknowledge youngsters have issues and questions about June 4, and that is why they decided to produce the question-and- answer leaflets. Online versions are available on the alliance's Facebook page.
Silent Majority plans protest in support of Chris Wat (right). Elizabeth Quat (left) sends letter (inset) requesting the setting up of a voluntary database for mentally handicapped people. Photos: HKEJ, Facebook
Silent Majority plans protest in support of Chris Wat
Pro-government group Silent Majority for Hong Kong is staging a protest Sunday in support of former Ming Pao columnist Chris Wat Wing-yin, the newspaper reported Friday.
Wat quit after receiving online threats over a column in which she wrote that the arrest of an autistic man in a murder case was being blown out of proportion.
In the column last week, Wat said the public shouldn’t criticise the police so severely, as officers had done a good job by protecting the suspect in a safe place.
The man was detained by police for more than two days, repeatedly subjected to interrogation despite his mental handicap and charged even though police were aware he had an alibi.
Hongkongers should praise the police for how well they treated the man, Wat wrote, saying that “in other places, those who are arrested would face even worse treatment”.
The Association of Parents of the Severely Mentally Handicapped hit out at Wat for being cold and uncaring in her remarks.
The Silent Majority, founded by Robert Chow Yung, said it expects up to 1,000 people to turn up for the rally for Wat to protest against verbal violence.
Wat, who said earlier that she had been subjected to death threats and that her address had been posted on Facebook, was unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, Au Wai-ho, the elder brother of the 30-year-old autistic man, filed a complaint with police Thursday, over their treatment of his brother.
Au said police promised to conduct an investigation.
He said his brother has yet to recover from the incident and still needs to be accompanied by family members whenever he goes out.
Legislator Elizabeth Quat Pui-fan of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong has proposed to the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Security Bureau the setting up of a voluntary database for mentally handicapped people in Hong Kong, specifying the contact details of their social workers and family members.
Quat said her proposal would help protect the rights of the group.
But fellow lawmaker Peter Cheung Kwok-che, who represents the social welfare constituency, said the idea is dumb and would raise privacy issues.
He said no countries overseas had such a database.
Netizens have blasted Quat’s idea and mockingly suggested she should put her own name on the list.
A group of university students shouted slogans and briefly interrupted Carrie Lam as she gave a speech Thursday to promote the government's political reform package. Photo: Apple Daily
Carrie Lam says reform plan ‘legal, fair, reasonable’
The government’s political reform plan will help Hong Kong take a historic step in democratic development, acting Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Thursday, making a fresh pitch for the proposal related to the 2017 election for the city’s top leader.
Speaking at the Boao Youth Forum for Asia (Hong Kong), Lam stressed that the electoral reform package is both constitutional and fair, Apple Daily reported.
Hong Kong is now at a critical moment in constitutional development, Lam was quoted as saying on the second and final day of the Boao forum that was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The reform proposal is “constitutional, legal, fair, reasonable and feasible,” she said at the forum that had the theme “Asia in Restructuring: Vision and Action of Youth”.
During the event, which was attended by dozens of prominent people from the fields of politics, economics and culture, Lam was briefly disrupted by a group of university student union representatives who chanted slogans against the reform package and shouted that it was “doomed to failure.”
They were subsequently evicted out of the venue by security guards before Lam continued her speech. Some of them asked Lam to visit universities in the city and listen to what young people have to say about the reform.
Zhang Xiaoming, head of Beijing’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong, said at the same forum that the 2017 election is not only about a leap of Hong Kong’s democratic development but also about the relationship between the city and the central government, as well as national sovereignty, national security and national development interests.
The younger generation should keep a broad perspective and act in the city’s interests, he said.
In other developments, six major big business groups said on Thursday that most enterprises back the administration’s political reform package.
A survey showed that nine in ten respondents backed the government’s plan while about 6 percent expressed opposition, they said.
The poll was conducted jointly by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Manufacturers’ Association, Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Real Estate Developers Association, and the Hong Kong Chinese Importers’ & Exporters’ Association between April 18 and May 15.
The survey, which took in the opinions of 2,561 business people, found that 91 percent of the respondents agreed that Legco should pass the reform package if that’s the wish of most citizens.
The Chinese national flag, followed by the Hong Kong flag, is displayed at a pro-Beijing street rally last year in Causeway Bay. Photo: Internet
Basic Law’s spirit and intent have long been forgotten
The Basic Law was promulgated in 1990 in a bid to stem the tide of emigration and capital outflow that started in the early 1980s when Beijing and London began talks on Hong Kong’s future.
If that was all that the document was intended for, then the result has been very satisfactory. Not only has the exit wave waned since the handover, quite a lot of people who had migrated earlier also returned home over the years.
In a speech commemorating the 25th anniversary of the gazette of the Basic Law, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying noted that clauses and provisions in the constitutional document are plain and clear and that there’s no need to speculate on the legislative intent.
“Today’s demands and appeals on the spur of the moment cannot be seen as the common aspirations [for democracy]; what really matters is the legislative intent during the Basic Law’s drafting process 25 years ago,” he said.
“With the non-sovereign, high degree of autonomy the central authorities have bestowed on us, which is unprecedented in the country, Hong Kong must tread its own path and formulate its own plans and proposals.”
I think everyone was stupefied when these words came out from Leung, who had been so arduous in propelling Hongkongers to abandon their free will and pocket a “free” vote with pre-screened candidates.
The Chinese Communist Party has a reputation for saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. The glib-tongued Leung clearly also has such expertise, although he had, during the 2012 election, repeatedly denied accusations that he is a party member.
With Leung’s proclamation that “today’s demands and appeals on the spur of the moment cannot be seen as the common aspirations” for democracy, I guess he has forgotten that it is the abrupt interpretations of the Basic Law by the Chinese National People’s Congress that have weakened the constitutional foundation and distorted the legislative intent.
Hongkongers do not have any means to alter the original thinking of the Basic Law but if Leung feels that all of a sudden people have new demands when it comes to the territory’s democratic development, he should realize that it is because of the interpretations and interference by the NPC. Mainland cadres, not Hongkongers, like to renege on the spur of the moment.
NPC chairman Zhang Dejiang (張德江) has said that the “NPC Standing Committee has the constitutional responsibility to ensure proper implementation of the Basic Law and a lawful path of Hong Kong’s constitutional development. Thus, it is necessary to decide on issues related to the methods to select the chief executive by universal suffrage.”
Remarks by Li Fei (李飛), NPCSC deputy secretary and Basic Law Committee chairman, and Zhang Rongshun (張榮順), deputy chairman of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPCSC, have also revealed that Beijing sees the chief executive election as a battle for the right to govern.
Given this, the democrats — who want no more than a fair chance to run in 2017, a right clearly stipulated in the Basic Law — are labeled as enemies.
The Basic Law’s legislative intent about the “high degree of autonomy” and the colloquial guarantee that “river water (China) not intruding into well water (Hong Kong)” has already been forgotten.
And, how exactly does Leung intend to help Hong Kong walk its own path and formulate its own plans and proposals? Merely by showing allegiance to his mainland bosses, doing far more than what Beijing instructs him to do and scorning Hongkongers’ sentiments?
Leung also recalled in his speech the drafting process, noting all the members of the consultative and drafting bodies back then were all cooperating to protect the interests of Hong Kong despite holding starkly different political views.
“When there was a challenge, they tried to find a number of solutions. No one back then would deliberately put obstacles for obstacles’ sake,” he said.
Now, I wonder who exactly has been responsible for all the problems today that have dragged Hong Kong into a state of endless rift and social avulsion!
The fact is that the passage, or otherwise, of the 2017 election bill is no longer of consequence to Hong Kong’s constitutional development. If the bills gets the LegCo nod, Beijing can claim it has honored its pledges, but in reality the “one person, one vote” will come at the cost of our free will.
If we reject the bill, it may not also really amount too much given the harsh reality of the political situation.
That said, a ‘No” vote would mean that we can at least stay faithful to ourselves, and not be among those who will hoodwink our next generation that democracy and universal suffrage have been successfully brought to fruition.
Coconuts
‘None of the above’ cannot be a voting option, says a Central government official
Everyone knows too many multiple choice questions lead to confusion. We all just do ABBA CADABBA when we get flustered, right?
Thank god a senior Chinese official is trying to make our lives that little bit easier.
Zhang Rongshan, vice chairman of the mouthful Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, has ruled out the wished-for “none of the above” option on voting papers for Hong Kong’s chief executive election in 2017.
Zhang held a seminar with pro-government members in Shenzhen on Wednesday and argued that opposition parties and their supporters would try to ruin the election if the option is included.
If over half of votes received were to be blank or state “none of the above”, a new election would have to be held, reports .
“The political culture is such that some people have tried to stop things from being accomplished,” Zhang said, stressing that the opposition plans to veto any reform plan proposed by Beijing in accordance with the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” principle.
“I think this kind of culture should not go on and on,” he said.
Thank god a senior Chinese official is trying to make our lives that little bit easier.
Zhang Rongshan, vice chairman of the mouthful Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, has ruled out the wished-for “none of the above” option on voting papers for Hong Kong’s chief executive election in 2017.
Zhang held a seminar with pro-government members in Shenzhen on Wednesday and argued that opposition parties and their supporters would try to ruin the election if the option is included.
If over half of votes received were to be blank or state “none of the above”, a new election would have to be held, reports .
“The political culture is such that some people have tried to stop things from being accomplished,” Zhang said, stressing that the opposition plans to veto any reform plan proposed by Beijing in accordance with the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” principle.
“I think this kind of culture should not go on and on,” he said.
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