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Crowds march for
democracy in HK
STANDING THEIR GROUND: Despite the poor weather
yesterday, about 50,000 people marched to express their discontent with
Beijing’s meddling in the territory’s affairs
AFP, HONG KONG
Hundreds of thousands of
protesters joined the annual 01 July rally from Victoria Park to Central calling
for `one person, one vote` and universal suffrage for the 2017 chief executive
election, marking the 16th anniversary of Hong Kong`s handover to Chinese rule
after 156 years of British administration.
Photo: EPA
Tens of thousands of protesters, some
waving British imperial flags and denouncing Chinese “colonists,” marched
through torrential rain in Hong Kong yesterday to clamor for universal suffrage
on the 16th anniversary of the territory’s return to Chinese rule.
Tropical Storm Rumbia brought a drenching and strong winds to the march, now an
annual outpouring of discontent directed at both China’s communist government
and the semi-autonomous territory’s local leadership.
The parade route from Victoria Park to the skyscrapers of the Central district
was a sea of umbrellas and banners bearing slogans that ranged from “Democracy
now” to “Down with the Chinese Communist Party.”
A handful of marchers scuffled with police, but no major trouble was reported.
China’s national anthem blared as the Chinese and Hong Kong flags were raised
outside the harborside Convention Centre to mark the territory’s transfer from
British to Chinese rule in 1997.
A small, but rowdy protest took place near the ceremony with demonstrators
burning a photograph of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英), who
critics say is guilty of kowtowing to Beijing.
One of the marchers carried a turtle made of balloons to represent Leung, who
stands accused of retreating inside his shell whenever trouble strikes.
“The main goal of the rally is to push through for genuine democracy and to ask
for Leung Chun-ying to step down,” said Jackie Hung of the Civil Human Rights
Front, which organizes the annual march.
The procession came after a survey published by Hong Kong University found that
only 33 percent of Hong Kongers take pride in being a Chinese national, the
lowest level since 1998.
Leung was appointed by a pro-Beijing committee in July last year, promising to
improve governance and uphold the rule of law in the territory of 7 million
people.
He is charged with overseeing the transition to universal suffrage to appoint
the territory’s chief executive, which was promised by 2017, though critics say
little or no progress has been made.
At the Convention Centre ceremony, Leung said implementing universal suffrage
was a “major task” for the government, but gave no timetable for public
consultations.
Leung also promised to address people’s grievances, which include a widening
income gap fuelled by an influx of Chinese wealth.
Hong Kong Chief Secretary of Administration Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) told reporters
that the government “will carefully hear the opinions expressed by residents.”
Police said 33,500 people left for Central from Victoria Park, but Hong Kong
media estimated about 50,000.
The poor weather appeared to have dampened turnout from last year’s estimated
figure of 400,000 protesters, although that was swelled by anger at the presence
in town of then-Chinese president Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).
The belief that Beijing meddles in Hong Kong’s affairs — with the complicity of
the local government — has grown since the handover and is expressed in ironic
calls to return the territory to British rule.
The sight of Hong Kong’s colonial-era flag at last year’s July 1 march incensed
commentators in China, but it was out in force again yesterday.
About 40 people from pro and anti-Beijing groups faced off at the People’s
Liberation Army (PLA) headquarters, exchanging expletives and insults.
The anti-Beijing group held large Hong Kong colonial-era flags, a huge banner of
Queen Elizabeth II and played God Save the Queen. They later burned a Chinese
People’s Liberation Army flag.
Beijing said the ability of Hong Kongers to protest in force proved that the
freedoms guaranteed under the handover agreement were alive and well.
“This year, with so many people going on the streets to protest, shows that
under the ‘one country two systems,’ Hong Kong has a lot of freedom and rights,”
Zhang Xiaoming (張曉明), who heads Beijing’s Liaison Office in the territory, told
reporters.
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