http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1608726/hong-kong-government-must-listen-its-people
South China Morning Post (Friday, 03 October, 2014)
Chris Patten calls on the Hong Kong government to rectify its error of misjudging public sentiment by ensuring that the second round of consultation on political reform is, above all, open and honest.
It is not wholly true to say that the eyes of the entire world are on Hong Kong. They would be, of course, if people in mainland China were allowed to know what is happening in their country's most successful city. But China's government has tried to block any news about the Hong Kong democracy demonstrations from reaching the rest of the country - not exactly a sign of confidence on the part of China's rulers in their system of authoritarian government.
Before suggesting a way forward for Hong Kong's ham-fisted authorities, three things need to be made clear. First, it is a slur on the integrity and principles of Hong Kong's citizens to assert, as the Chinese government's propaganda machine does, that they are being manipulated by outside forces. What motivates Hong Kong's tens of thousands of demonstrators is a passionate belief that they should be able to run their affairs as they were promised, choosing those who govern them in free and fair elections.
Second, others outside Hong Kong have a legitimate interest in what happens in the city. Hong Kong is a great international centre, whose freedoms and autonomy were guaranteed in a treaty registered at the United Nations. In particular, the United Kingdom, the other party to this Sino-British Joint Declaration, sought and received guarantees that the survival of Hong Kong's autonomy and liberties would be guaranteed for 50 years.
So it is ridiculous to suggest that British ministers and parliamentarians should keep their noses out of Hong Kong's affairs. In fact, they have a right and a moral obligation to continue to check on whether China is keeping its side of the bargain - as, to be fair, it has mostly done so far.
But, third, the biggest problems have arisen because of a dispute about where Hong Kong's promised path to democracy should take it, and when. No one told Hongkongers when they were assured of universal suffrage that it would not mean being able to choose for whom they could vote.
No one said that Iran was the democratic model that China's communist bureaucracy had in mind, with the Chinese government authorised to exercise an effective veto over candidates.
In fact, that is not what China had in mind. As early as 1993, China's chief negotiator on Hong Kong, Lu Ping , told the People's Daily: "The [method of universal suffrage] should be reported to [China's parliament] for the record, whereas the central government's agreement is not necessary. How Hong Kong develops its democracy in the future is completely within the sphere of the autonomy of Hong Kong. The central government will not interfere." The following year, China's foreign ministry confirmed this.
The British parliament summarised what had been said and promised in a report on Hong Kong in 2000: "The Chinese government has therefore formally accepted that it is for the Hong Kong government to determine the extent and nature of democracy in Hong Kong."
So, what next?
The peaceful demonstrators in Hong Kong, with their umbrellas and refuse-collection bags, will not themselves be swept off the streets like garbage or bullied into submission by tear gas and pepper spray. Any attempt to do so would present a terrible and damaging picture of Hong Kong and China to the world, and would be an affront to all that China should aspire to be.
The Hong Kong authorities have gravely miscalculated the views of their citizens. Like the bad courtiers against whom Confucius warned, they went to Beijing and told the emperor what they thought he wanted to hear, not what the situation really was in the city. They must think again.
Under the existing plans, there is supposed to be a second phase of consultations on democratic development to follow what turned out to be a counterfeit start to the process. Hong Kong's government should now offer its people a proper second round of consultation, one that is open and honest. Dialogue is the only sensible way forward. Hong Kong's citizens are not irresponsible or unreasonable. A decent compromise that allows for elections that people can recognise as fair, not fixed, is surely available.
The demonstrators in Hong Kong, young and old, represent the city's future. Their hopes are for a peaceful and prosperous life in which they can enjoy the freedoms and rule of law that they were promised. That is not only in the interest of their city; it is in China's interest, too. Hong Kong's future is the main issue; but so, too, is China's honour and its standing in the world.
2014年9月29日 星期一
Hong Kong Protest 20140928 - 示威者中環佔路 旺角銅鑼灣愈見擠擁
http://hkba.org/whatsnew/misc/20140929-Press_Statement_of_HKBA_29_September_2014.pdf
Statement of the Hong Kong Bar Association on the Use of Force by the Hong Kong Police at Harcourt Road on 28 September 2014
1. The Hong Kong Bar Association ("HKBA") is deeply disturbed by, and deplores and condemns, the excessive and disproportionate use of force by the Hong Kong Police on demonstrators gathering at Harcourt Road in the afternoon of 28 September 2014.
2. The circumstances in which the Hong Kong Police commenced the use of CS gas on demonstrators gathering at Harcourt Road in the afternoon of 28 September 2014 were well documented in the local and international media. Even though on occasions, a minority of demonstrators became confrontational with the police, the overwhelming majority of the demonstrators were visibly conducting themselves peacefully. Many demonstrators were young students. There had also been widespread reports of absence of display of visual signs before the use of CS gas.
3. There can be scope for disagreement on the underlying political debate or demands leading to the demonstration. Some demonstrators may have committed criminal offences during the course of the demonstration. However, none of the above matters can justify the use of excessive or disproportionate force by the Police against unarmed civilians as a matter of law and common decency. Even after giving due allowance to the professional judgment of the police force in the maintenance of public order and the prevention of public disorder in a difficult and delicate situation, the HKBA still considers that there was plainly no justification to commence the use of CS gas against peaceful demonstrators, let alone repeated, systematic, indiscriminate and excessive use of CS gas. The escalation in the use of force by the Hong Kong police in such circumstances was uncalled for, disproportionate, excessive and had unnecessarily aggravated public feelings of resentment and frustration.
Dated 29 September 2014
HONG KONG BAR ASSOCIATION
大批佔中示威者連續第二日佔據港九多處鬧市的主要幹道，今日入夜後，參與集會的人數愈來愈多。在金鐘夏慤道一帶，經過昨日示威者與警方的「激戰」後，今日情況大致平靜，逾萬示威者全日守候，入夜放工後，到來參與集會的市民愈來愈多，集會人士揮動手機燈，表達對真普選的訴求。
而在銅鑼灣，大約2千名示威者繼續佔據崇光百貨對開的道路，人數入夜後同樣有增無減，不少市民放工後到場靜坐。崇光百貨要提早於黃昏6時關門停止營業，崇光平日周日至周四一般會營業到晚上10時。另外位處附近一帶的商舖，例如周大福、周生生、莎莎百貨及余仁生等則全日關門，休業一天。
在中環，皇后像廣場對出的來回行車線已全被示威者佔據，他們在附近位置以兩重鐵馬及水馬布防，亦設有物資補給站，有系統地分發物資，氣氛尚算和平。
而在九龍，旺角彌敦道與亞皆老街交界，同樣人頭湧湧，參與集會的市民入夜後有增無減。
2014年7月1日 星期二
七一遊行：民陣稱51萬市民上街 破03年紀錄
【on.cc東網專訊】(2014年7月1日) 民陣下午發起七一遊行，召集人楊政賢晚上約11時在遊行終點遮打道集會上公布，保守估計今日遊行有高達51萬名市民參與，打破03年50萬人遊行的紀錄。
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