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Occupy protesters must realise the futility of non-cooperation
Alice Wu says Hong Kong Occupy protesters can take inspiration from Apec's tireless call for cooperation, as we're in this together
Instead of awakening the masses, the protesters are living in their own world and denying inconvenient truths. Photo: AP
In hindsight, it's a definite "just as well" that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings weren't held in Hong Kong. The agenda for the Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting called for "an integrated, innovative and interconnected Asia-Pacific". At the moment, Hong Kong isn't top billing material for that sort of thing.
Apec tries to bring people, leaders and countries with "important differences" (to borrow US President Barack Obama's words at the summit) together to find common ground for co-existence - impossible as it might seem. Hong Kong, meanwhile, is still struggling with the idea of integration, as can be seen inside the legislative chamber and at the Occupy sites. So, no, Apec wouldn't have worked here.
And President Xi Jinping might have been right with his welcome comments to world leaders in Beijing last week: "Chinese people believe in destiny. We are destined to meet here tonight."
Right now, Hongkongers cannot even talk, or listen, to one another. Instead, we just sing Happy Birthday to drown out the noise.
Songs would drown out any attempt to talk, work out issues and carefully calibrate messages essential in reaching agreement. This year's Apec summit did manage to break old ice and new ground in climate change, military cooperation, regional security and trade.
A handshake between Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and their brief talk on the sidelines of Apec are deemed significant. Time will tell whether they amount to more than just lip service, but lip service that sought to play down points of tension and focus on areas of cooperation is infinitely better than rhetoric at gunpoint.
No, the world isn't hunky-dory, post Apec. The Asia-Pacific is one of the most dynamically complex regions that is undergoing rapid change. There remain complex issues that will pollute the "Apec blue" skies and a whole lot more hard talk and work will be needed.
Apec leaders will have to continue to come out of their own worlds to "play" the game of cooperation with one another. Engagement isn't easy, but words must win out because we're stuck in this world together - integrated and interconnected - for better or worse.
And that's exactly what those people who have carved out areas to entrench themselves in Hong Kong need to realise.
If University of Hong Kong law lecturer Eric Cheung Tat-ming is correct in saying that, "Sometimes, it seems like the protesters in the occupied areas are in their world, everyone else is in another world - and there's not a whole lot of understanding between the two", then this movement - or campaign, revolution, whatever you wish to call it - has failed miserably.
Instead of awakening the masses, it has convinced part of the population that self-imposed isolation, insisting on living in their own world and denying inconvenient truths, is the answer to their woes. Isolation is not the answer. We only need to look at Asia's very own hermit kingdom to see that.
Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA
To mitigate the threats from the Occupy protest, HK should have a directly elected legislature with the chief executive appointed by Beijing
Joshua Wong (left) and Leung Chun-ying. Photos: SCMP
In War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy played down the role of human agency in shaping events, writing that "a king is history's slave".
Historical events can easily overtake any leader and civil disobedience evolve into civil resistance as government and business leaders refuse to understand and respond to events.
Seen in that context, the threats that confront Hong Kong's economy and society are likely only to worsen.
For a taste of how the young generation sees that confrontation shaping up, read the article written by Occupy Central's teenage talisman, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, published in the New York Times on October 29.
"I would like to remind every member of the ruling class in Hong Kong. Today you are depriving us of our future, but the day will come when we decide your future. No matter what happens to the protest movement, we will reclaim the democracy that belongs to us, because time is on our side."
For some, this is effectively a declaration of war on Hong Kong's business and government elite. It is smarter to think about it as the core of a manifesto for change in this city. Because when a teenage student can inspire and communicate to people better than any of the government and business leaders, it is time to conclude that the city's elite is incapable of producing respectable and credible leaders.
Occupy Central has proven that the concept of having this capital of global commerce led by a business-oriented government now lies in tatters. And that is no surprise because business people are uniquely unqualified for governing societies. Tycoons cannot easily comprehend the swelling tide of important political and social forces.
Debating change within the stifling borders of the Basic Law has become a dreary affair. Playing with the functional constituencies and nomination committee rules does not deliver anything close to a truly representative government.
Since 1997, Hong Kong and the mainland have changed much faster and differently than anticipated. In 1997, some thought the city would lead the mainland into the world. Today, the mainland is a global leader and no Hong Kong business or government leader makes much of a difference to the country at large. The only sensible solution is to scrap our present form of government and replace it with a system where the chief executive is appointed directly by the central government.
While doubtlessly an unpopular idea, the advantage is that such a chief executive would be a bureaucrat and probably from the foreign service. He would be like a colonial British governor without the career baggage of entrenched local relationships and loyalties and would have to work through an elected legislature.
We should also dismantle functional constituencies and corporate block voting and replace them with representatives of geographic districts elected by one person, one vote to a new Legislative Council. The new Legco and the chief executive could table legislation.
The chief executive would appoint a cabinet from a mix of Legco members and approved non-elected officials. This would cultivate true democratic development of respected institutions while giving the chief executive veto power that Beijing would feel its interests protected.
And like the president of the United States, the chief executive would have to be careful about exercising veto power lest he precipitate protests from legislators or spark another Occupy groundswell protest movement.
For all of its flaws, the US is a vibrant democracy in which elections matter. Even if a new system in Hong Kong may still not have a directly elected chief executive, the entire Legco would be. That seems to be a workable compromise. And we need one because Occupy's ideas will not diminish. The yearning howl of youth will echo down this generation and risks unsettling the city.
Only bold reform will prevent Hong Kong and the mainland from becoming two peoples between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy.
Peter Guy is a financial writer and former international banker
A woman walks past a protest zone in Mong Kok, in front a partial road sign that reads "stop". Support for the protest movement is falling, according to a poll. Photo: Sam Tsang
A poll continues to show a generation and education gap in people's opinions towards the Occupy movement.
Younger or more educated respondents tend to support the pro-democracy movement more, a finding consistent with the survey's results for the previous two months.
Despite the divided opinions between people of different ages, education levels and political beliefs, the poll shows that almost 70 per cent of respondents believed the protesters should leave now. And for the first time since the survey began in September, the percentage of those who did not support the movement surpassed that of supporters.
"There is a generation gap," said Paul Lee Siu-nam, a journalism professor at the Chinese University and one of the researchers. "This gap not only exists during the Occupy movement; we have seen such division on various other social issues."
From November 5 to 11, researchers from the Chinese University's Centre for Communication and Public Opinion Survey interviewed 1,030 Hong Kong citizens aged 15 or older and able to speak Cantonese via telephone.
Some questions - such as if the Occupy protesters should go home - were not asked in the poll in September and October.
More than 43 per cent of respondents said they did not support the Occupy movement - last month the figure was about 35 per cent. The percentage of respondents supporting the movement was now 34 per cent.
Researchers said the decline in support for the movement could be related to the inconvenience the long-lasting occupation had caused to ordinary people.
In a more detailed breakdown, more than 67 per cent of those aged 15 to 24 said they supported the movement. Among those aged 40 or more, support stood at 27 per cent. Almost 46 per cent of those with a tertiary education supported the movement, dropping to 21 per cent among respondents with a junior secondary or lower education. Although more than 67 per cent of respondents believed the protesters should go home - 14 per cent believed the opposite - researchers pointed out that more than half of respondents believed the government needed to give more detailed concessions to resolve the current stand-off.
"Both sides need to consider how they can respond to the people's opinions," said Francis Lee Lap-fung, who is also a Chinese University journalism professor and one of the researchers.
Again, opinions divide along generational lines over this question, with up to 83 per cent of those aged 40 and older believing protesters should leave but only 21 per cent of those aged 15 to 24 thinking the same. A similar division is observed among people with different education levels.
Researchers said the decline in support for the movement could be related to the inconvenience the long-lasting occupation had caused to ordinary people.
Yvonne Leung Lai-kwok, one of the Occupy student leaders, said opinions were constantly changing so it would not be the only criteria for protesters to decide if they would end the occupation. She believed opinions would turn in favour of the protest in the wake of the ban on student leaders visiting Beijing.
The survey also found that more than 45 per cent of respondents believed lawmakers should pass the political reform package if the government scrapped corporate voting in the formation of the nominating committee. Thirty-six per cent were in favour of passing the package even if the government did nothing.
Graduates take photos on the blocked road in Admiralty protest site of the Occupy Central movement. Photo: Felix Wong
It's not a student's job to meddle in politics: that's the message Kuby Chan received from her parents and one probably heard by many other young activists manning the Occupy barricades.
"My parents said students shouldn't take part in what the Hong Kong Federation of Students has organised, but instead, focus on their studies," said the 16-year-old, who has been out on the streets since the first day of the university class boycott on September 22. "They thought [students] were making a scene or staging a show," she said. "They had no idea why students had to do that."
Chan, who has been camping out on the streets every night over the past few weeks, said that after she decided to take a stance for democracy, her parents barely spoke to her.
But a transformation came after the most dangerous moment she experienced since she joined the movement.
A crowd had gathered outside Sin Tat Plaza in Mong Kok near where an anti-Occupy man was seen assaulting a protester. Chan was among the crowd that had the man surrounded by the time riot police arrived.
In the chaos, the teenager was hit on the back of the head by a police baton. Her parents found out the next day from her younger brother. "They asked me to take sufficient equipment with me [to protect myself]," Chan said. "Compared to their tough stance previously, their attitude has changed." .
Chan said the last generation who fought the same fight had not achieved reforms so it was now her generation's turn. "Maybe we will succeed," said Chan, who dropped out of school a year ago. "I won't succumb so easily this time."
Ngan Tsz-ho has not met or spoken to his mother since their fight on October 1 over his joining Occupy Central. He's even blocked his mother on smartphone messaging app Whatsapp, all because his mother is a "blue ribbon" member, opposing the pro-democracy movement and supporting the police.
"She said, 'Can democracy make money? Have I been raising you with democracy? You've never done anything good and you're going to have no relative, no friend and no parent soon'," Ngan said. "I felt it was too much. I felt she had no sympathy or conscience."
Ngan, a 22-year-old make-up artist, joined Occupy on September 28 - the day the protest began - and has stayed on Harcourt Road in Admiralty ever since.
Whenever he needs to go to his home in Chai Wan to shower or change clothes, he waits until his mother has gone to work and leaves before she returns.
Ngan's parents are divorced. While his father is not a "blue ribbon" member, he also did not support his son joining Occupy.
Running a frozen meat business in Chai Wan, his parents were close to some local pro-establishment district councillors and benefitted from their district policies, Ngan said. "My mum supports the councillors and they talked her into being against Occupy Central," he said.
Ngan hasn't participated in any previous protest and never thought he would join Occupy.
"I never liked [Chief Executive] Leung Chun-ying because he's told many lies, but this time he betrayed us," he said. "At first I just wanted to come for a day, but then when people were leaving and students were asking them not to go, I decided to stay, because I couldn't stop worrying about them."
Samuel Chan, Phila Siu, Shirley Zhao and Emily Tsang
About 67 per cent of poll respondents said protesters should go home. Photo: Bloomberg
Police will take action "this week" to clear protesters from some occupied sites just as a new poll showed that nearly 70 per cent of the public wants the movement to end.
For the first time since it started the poll in September, Chinese University found more people opposed the Occupy movement than supported it. Of the 1,030 respondents, 43 per cent were against and 34 per cent for the movement - indicating a shift in public sentiment.
Even those who supported the democracy protests believed it was time to bring it to an end. About 67 per cent of all respondents said protesters should go home.
This came as a police source told the South China Morning Post that the force would take action "within this week" to help bailiffs implement court injunction orders against protesters occupying sites in Admiralty and Mong Kok.
But he said police would not carry out the action at "odd hours".
"The working hours of bailiffs are from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, so that's when it will happen," the source said. "Perhaps only an hour or two earlier [than 9am] at most, definitely not during the small hours.
"Citic [Tower in Admiralty] will be first, then Mong Kok," the source said, adding that it would happen tomorrow at the earliest.
The Mong Kok operation is considered "high risk". Each police officer could face up to three or four Occupy protesters there, the source said. He said all officers helping bailiffs in Mong Kok would be in full gear.
Police first needed to wait for instructions from the Department of Justice on how to provide assistance to bailiffs, according to the source. And he said police still had to clarify operational details such as whether "obstacles" to be removed include protesters.
The court will elaborate on its decision today.
Financial Secretary John Tsang says Occupy protesters should first convince the rest of Hong Kong people with their arguments.
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah in his weekly blog urged the protesters to stop their movement now or risk "losing the moral high ground".
"It is time to return to rationality … They should first convince the rest of Hong Kong people with their arguments," he wrote.
The Reverend Peter Douglas Koon, provincial secretary general of the Anglican Church, said in a TV talk show that the Occupy organisers had "greatly embarrassed the church" because Christians would now be perceived by others as radicals.
Occupy organisers the Reverend Chu Yiu-ming and Benny Tai Yiu-ting are Christians.
Occupy Central co-founder Reverend Chu Yiu-ming poses for a photograph in Central. Photo: May Tse
When hopes were dashed for a second round of talks between pro-democracy sit-in organisers and the government, Occupy Central co-founder Reverend Chu Yiu-ming was dejected.
“Opening the doors for dialogue might not solve the problems, but at least that could protect the safety of protesters, let the crowd know there’s increments, and proceed the movement towards solutions,” Chu told the South China Morning Post.
“But unfortunately, it did not happen again”, leaving the so-called Umbrella Movement in a "directionless" stalemate, he said.
His remarks come as the Occupy sit-in, now entering its eighth week, stands at risk of losing parts of its barricaded strongholds in a possible police clearance after courts issued injunctions.
Chu had played a key role in making the unprecedented dialogue between Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and the Federation of Students a reality, on October 21. He liaised with middlemen, the contacts he had built over the years.
But last week, Carrie Lam ruled out further talks, blaming student leaders for failing to demonstrate the same sincerity the government had reportedly shown and that the students had toughened their stance after the meeting.
The students, on the other hand, repeated that their calls for public nomination in the next chief executive poll – or at least the drafting of a road map for it – had been consistent.
Chu said he was not in a position to comment on what had stopped the communication from going further, but said the impasse – resulting from the lack of further talks – made the sit-in organisers lose their leading role in the push for suffrage.
He also views dialogue as providing a seeming guarantee of safety for the protesters. As that is off the cards, Chu – who was actively involved in rescuing Beijing student leaders out of the mainland during the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown – has cause to worry.
“There’s a huge burden and responsibility on the back … [of] people like me who have undergone June 4 and witnessed the bloodshed. There’s nothing more important than ensuring the safety of everyone in the movement,” said the 70-year-old pastor, on the verge of tears. “I hold responsibility for [the protesters].”
On October 3, Chu had also wept as he watched TV footage of hundreds of thugs storming the street, beating up Occupy protesters and destroying their bases in Mong Kok.
He wanted the sit-in organisers to jointly call on the Occupy protesters to immediately retreat, but there were different voices within the camp: that of students, lawmakers and civil rights groups.
The scenes of the bloody crackdown 25 years ago comes to mind whenever he sees such violence, says Chu, who remains a core member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, which hosts the annual June 4 candlelight vigil in Victoria Park.
“It’s not only about that single night on June 4, but a torture over the past 20-something years … my heart sinks whenever I think of those dissidents who live in exile [after 1989] and are barred from their motherland,” he said.
Chu said he had lost all his confidence in the “inhuman government” over the past 50 days. But he insisted the Occupy Central movement could never forgo non-violence.
The day before the thugs stormed Occupy camps, protesters on October 2 vowed to take over the Chief Executive's Office if Leung Chun-ying refused to resign. Police, who were seen carrying riot gear and possibly rubber bullets into the premises, warned that they would use force if the blockade of the building continued.
“[Occupy Central] stresses its peacefulness, but many others wanted the three co-founders to join the front lines [in the siege]. That was the biggest struggle,” Chu recalled.
That night, Chu and Occupy co-organisers Benny Tai Yiu-ting and Dr Chan Kin-man cried as they decided to uphold their principles – even it might upset many supporters – by not joining the siege.
Two days later, in light of the escalating tensions as the sit-in marked its first week, the trio calmly decided to surrender themselves to police in order to end the movement.
Later, as some expressed hope the three could continue to assist and guide the sit-in, that plan to surrender was postponed to this month.
Although it is unlikely for the government to make further concessions over the election reform deadlock, Chu said the Occupy Central movement, at least, had already succeeded in one aspect: showing the city that peaceful struggle is possible and that Hongkongers would no longer let others decide their fate.
“The government should be afraid of this power and be awakened as well,” Chu said. “It could no longer use the same ways to treat the new generation."
Former chief justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang on Monday called on Occupy Central protesters to retreat, warning that the rule of law would be impaired if ongoing court injunctions were not obeyed.
This comes after police said they would take action "this week" to clear protesters from some occupied sites just as a new poll showed that nearly 70 per cent of the public wants the movement to end.
Li said everyone understood young peoples’ pursuit for democracy, but he said their actions should not override the rule of law.
“The Occupy movement has lasted such a long time, and the injunctions issued by the court have not yet been obeyed and respected. This will have an adverse effect on our rule of law”, Li said.
Li also the courts were not able to resolve political issues, which should be dealt through discussions in the political arena. “Courts can only maintain the rule of law,” he said.
Student leaders Alex Chow Yong-kang (centre), Nathan Law Kwun-chung (left) and Eason Chung Yiu-wa at Hong Kong international airport on Saturday afternoon before they were denied boarding on a scheduled Cathay Pacific flight to Beijing. Photo: AFP
At least four other student protesters have been barred from travelling to the mainland since the Occupy Central demonstrations began, student leaders said on Monday morning.
The failed trips came to light after three representatives from the Federation of Students - one of the groups leading Occupy - on Saturday were barred from boarding just hours before they were to fly to Beijing, where they planned to press their demands for genuine universal suffrage.
The three were seeking to meet central government officials in the Chinese capital to discuss Hong Kong's election reform.
Nathan Law Kwun-chung, one of the three, said this morning that at least four to five other students had been denied entry to mainland China since the Occupy protests kicked off on September 28.
"They included student union members, student [volunteers], and some who have helped in our publications," Law said, speaking during an RTHK talk show.
The federation's secretary-general, Alex Chow Yong-kang, also said on the programme that some other students had applied for a home visit return permit, a visa for Hongkongers heading to the mainland, but their applications were rejected.
Immigration authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
The mainland authorities who handle the visas did not provide a reason for turning down the applications, Chow said. "This shows the mainland is very sensitive," he said.
"The Hong Kong and mainland authorities have the responsibility to explain what laws they based it on [when refusing to issue the visas]," he said.
Meanwhile, when asked about possible clearances of Occupy protest sites in light of court-granted orders to leave the streets, Chow said protesters would decide if they would remain at the sites in Admiralty, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay, or if they would leave on their own.
"Protestors should think about the possible legal consequences and assess if they could afford to pay the price. They should make their own decision based on this," he said.
Federation of Students' (from left to right) committee member Nathan Law Kwun-chung, secretary general Alex Chow Yong-kang, and committee member Eason Chung Yiu-wa. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Occupy protesters say they will not resist a clearance operation due to start in Admiralty today but will move somewhere else.
They were speaking as bailiffs prepared to clear the barriers obstructing access to Citic Tower this morning in pursuit of injunctions granted last week - and police said they were ready to give their "fullest support".
Former chief justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang called on the protesters to retreat, saying that the rule of law would otherwise be impaired. He said everyone understood the youngsters' pursuit of democracy but "the occupying movement has lasted for a period, and the injunctions issued by the court have not yet been respected".
Ben Chan, a designer in his 20s, said outside Citic Tower yesterday that they would not resist.
"If the bailiffs explain what they're doing, ask us to leave and don't start charging us from the start, then we'll cooperate fully," Chan said. "If they don't follow the usual procedures, then we'll ask them what the protocol is or get legal advice."
Fellow protester Jason Fung, a garment worker, said: "We'll just go protest somewhere that the injunction doesn't cover."
In a statement last night the police said that if anyone obstructed or "violently charges" the bailiffs, officers would take "resolute action".
A police source said the force would later this week help bailiffs clear blockades in Mong Kok where similar injunctions have been issued.
The injunctions, granted to taxi and minibus groups and the owner of Citic Tower, authorise the police to arrest people who try to obstruct the bailiffs' work.
In Mong Kok, protesters said their valuables and tools for self-defence such as helmets had been packed and they would leave their tents when the clearance started.
"If no violence is used, we will stay a bit longer to make sure the bailiffs make a detailed record of what they take away," said warehouse worker Anthony Chan, 25, who has been camping in Mong Kok for more than three weeks.
Federation of Students secretary general Alex Chow Yong-kang said members would remain at protest sites in Admiralty, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay until their arrest. "Our members will stay with other protesters to the last minute," he said.
Meanwhile, a High Court judge said he would hand down a decision as soon as possible on a clearance application from two bus companies.
The injunction request, heard by Mr Justice Thomas Au Hing-cheung, was made by Kwoon Chung Motors and All China Express, which are subsidiaries of Kwoon Chung Bus. They seek the removal of blockades on Connaught Road Central, Harcourt Road and Cotton Tree Drive.
Students at Baptist University carry yellow umbrellas and balloons. Photo: Felix Wong
The president of Baptist University declined again yesterday to present degree certificates to graduates because they were carrying yellow umbrellas - symbols of the Occupy Central civil disobedience protests.
Professor Albert Chan Sun-chi, a Hong Kong delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, took a similar stance on Saturday, sparking criticism from students.
Student union president Mio Chan Pin-chun called his response "pathetic". He said the president must have bowed to pressure from "elsewhere", because he had previously supported students' social movements.
Professor Chan denied having come under any pressure. He described the graduates as disrespectful for holding the umbrellas during their convocation.
Meanwhile, it emerged that at least four other students - in addition to three barred on Saturday - had been prevented from leaving for Beijing in an effort to meet state leaders.
At yesterday's graduation incident, held around midday, a graduate of the Academy of Visual Arts and School of Communication knelt before Professor Chan and presented him with a folded yellow umbrella.
"This is a little gift from us students," the graduate said. "We hope the president can listen to the students' demands."
The professor hesitated before he took the brolly, but then made a dismissive gesture and asked the graduate to leave without handing him the certificate.
Two other graduates who later went on stage refused to accept their certificates from him.
Earlier in the day, about a dozen students at another graduation ceremony opened yellow umbrellas as the National Anthem was being played.
Albert Chan
"By not giving the graduates their certificates, [the professor] is declining to recognise their education at the university and that they are Baptist University people," Mio Chan said.
"This is really pathetic and has seriously affected the bond between teachers and students. He is trampling on the students' basic freedom of expressing their opinions."
About a dozen students staged a protest outside the venue against the president's "suppression of the freedom of speech".
Professor Chan said that although he appreciated the students' "lofty ideals", he declined to give the graduates their certificates because their actions on the stage showed disrespect for the solemnity of the occasion.
"Hanging around on stage with an umbrella did not look good. It was not raining. Today, they carried an umbrella; what if tomorrow they carry a flag?"
He said it would not be a problem if students wore yellow ribbons - which also signify support for the Occupy campaign for democracy - or carried umbrellas while not on stage.
The professor recited a line from a poem by Chinese philosopher and reformist of the Qing dynasty, Liang Qichao. The meaning of the line is that people with great ambition are not afraid to sacrifice themselves as the target of attack by others.
The graduates who did not receive their certificates from Chan could obtain the papers from the university after the ceremony.
Meanwhile, at least four other students had been barred from travelling to the mainland since the protests began on September 28, student leaders said during an RTHK talk show yesterday.
One of the trio, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, said: "They included student union members, student [volunteers] and some who had helped in our publications."
Alex Chow Yong-kang, secretary general of the Federation of Students - one of the groups leading Occupy - said mainland border officials blocked those students on the grounds they might "jeopardise national security" or "affect state diplomacy".
The failed trips came to light after three federation representatives were barred on Saturday from flying to Beijing.
Consul general Nikolaus Graf Lambsdorff praised the city's young people as "impressive". Photo: Jonathan Wong, Sam Tsang
Germany's representative in Hong Kong has expressed optimism about the future of the city, saying the pro-democracy sit-ins have not had a significant impact on the economy.
Consul general Nikolaus Graf Lambsdorff also praised the city's young people as "impressive".
Lambsdorff made his remarks after a lunch hosted by the Legislative Council yesterday which was attended by diplomatic representatives of 30 countries.
"I am optimistic for the future of Hong Kong," he said. "I find Hong Kong still a very competitive, well-administered, liveable place."
While the government, Beijing loyalists and business chambers accuse the Occupy Central movement, now entering its eighth week, of damaging the economy, the German diplomat said the impact was insignificant as the economic statistics looked "pretty good" overall.
Lambsdorff also sought to clarify that he had not intended to back the protesters in an earlier speech that some interpreted as supporting the movement.
Speaking in German on October 7, at an event to celebrate the 24th anniversary of Germany's reunification, the diplomat said: "It is not for me to publicly judge political developments in Hong Kong. But … I believe that Hong Kong can be proud of its youth. I am sure that the efforts to make Hong Kong more democratic will be good for Hong Kong politically, but also economically."
Yesterday, Lambsdorff said his speech - attended by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor - had been misquoted on a number of occasions.
"What the students are doing here is not legal … I am a civil servant from a foreign country, how could I praise the students?" he asked. "But I have found young people [generally] in Hong Kong quite impressive."
He also said his comments were not directed at Lam.
"As you know, I said it in German," he said. "It wasn't even a public speech … and it has nothing to do with Carrie Lam of course."
Re: HK Protest Leaders High! Demands Talks With 11 Jinping In Peking!
HK demonstrators arrested
By Yuen Yeuk-laam Source: Global Times Published: 2014-11-20 0:18:01
Group of protesters smash doors of legislature
Lawyer representatives put up a notice on a barricade set up by pro-democracy protesters to be later removed by bailiffs under a court injunction, in the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong on Wednesday. The execution of a second injunction ordering the clearance of the protest site in Mong Kok is expected within days. Photo: AFP
Six people were arrested by police in Hong Kong Wednesday after a group of protesters broke into a government legislature building, shattering glass panes in the main door with bricks and metal barriers, hours after bailiffs and police cleared one of the main protest sites in the city's Admiralty district.
Two legislative meetings scheduled to be held at the Legislative Council (Legco) Wednesday morning were forced to be called off. Public tours were also canceled. Police and the SAR government strongly condemned the violent behavior.
"What the protesters did was barbaric. They destroyed many facilities in the building after the break-in. An emergency meeting was held today to discuss ways to strengthen the security of the building. We are planning to put up fences outside to protect the building and the people inside," Alice Mak Mei-kuen, a Hong Kong legislator, told the Global Times.
She said what students did was dangerous as the broken glass was scattered in an area usually crossed by public tours.
"We are now demanding the Legco Commission apply for an injunction to make protesters withdraw and restore order to the Legco because protesters have blocked the entrance of the building for days," said Ma Fung-kwok, another legislator.
Ma and another 40 legislators had signed a joint petition.
Several protesters gathered outside the building of Legco at around 11 pm Tuesday night. They used metal barriers to attack and shatter one of the building's glass doors. Some threw bricks.
During the confrontation, legislator Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung went to the scene but failed to stop the attack. About 100 police with helmets, batons and shields arrived and deployed pepper spray to disperse the crowd from the building.
At least three police officers were injured.
Protesters claimed that the break-in was to show their disagreement with "Internet Article 23," a not-yet-implemented copyright ordinance that pan-democratic members believe may threaten freedom of speech.
"Some of us wanted to escalate the protest action because the government has been ignoring us," a protester said.
Mak condemned protesters for making excuses for their violent actions. "The Legco has not yet started discussing the draft of Internet Article 23," she said.
Another legislator Tam Yiu-chung also said the Occupy movement, which claimed to be peaceful, has lost people's confidence.
"The leaders of the movement have been distorting the idea of the rule of law. They are trying to make people believe that they can disobey the law," he told the Global Times on Wednesday. The student federation, one of the main pan-democratic groups making up the Occupy movement, released a statement saying that the government should be held responsible.
Newspaper headline: Group of protesters smash doors of legislature
The Occupy co-founder and his son, Daniel Chu Muk-wah, with the movement’s symbol. Photo: May Tse
In 1989, Daniel Chu Muk-wah held a clunky mobile phone - a luxury item then - to assist his dad on a march that more than a million people joined to condemn Beijing's bloody clearance of the student protesters in Tiananmen Square.
Then 16, Chu was already no stranger to the struggle for democracy, as his father, the Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, had been one of the leading activists that were demanding direct elections in the city's legislature from the colonial government.
Daniel Chu even had a chance to visit safe houses in the city, to meet the Beijing dissidents who had been secretly spirited from the mainland with the help of his dad and others on their way to new lives overseas via Hong Kong.
That is why he becomes upset whenever he hears Beijing-loyalist figures urging his father to resolve the political-reform deadlock with "rational" tactics, but not by means of the "radical" Occupy Central movement he co-founded.
"My dad has fought for democracy since the '80s. He set up the Democratic Development Network in 2003 and put forward a reform proposal, which was later ruled out, as Beijing decided the city would not implement universal suffrage [until 2017]," Chu said
"He joined demonstrations [and] engaged in dialogue. He really tried everything. I don't see what [these critics] have done over the years. I totally understand why my father decided to take this step."
Chu, the head of a division at a social services institute, visits the occupied site in Admiralty after work every night in his neat suits. Sometimes he manages to have a brief chat with his 70-year-old dad, but often the elder Chu is too involved in marathon meetings.
But Daniel Chu chooses not to take a frontline role in the pro-democracy movement, saying that all he wants to do is offer emotional support for his father.
"My dad is a bit reluctant to let me stay too close to the movement, as he wants to protect me," he says. "I have no fear, but I have the responsibility to take care of my mother and my family, and to back my dad up if he is arrested."
His distance from the battle doesn't shield Daniel Chu from attacks by anti-Occupy protesters. Posters with his photograph accompanied by derogatory remarks have been seen near his office and home.
""Why would Hong Kong turn into such a place?" he asks, worrying about the future his children, an eight-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy, will face.
Before the Occupy Central movement took off, Reverend Chu had spent much of his time with his grandchildren, serving as their driver, chess teacher and swimming coach.
As the Occupy movement enters its eighth week, the elder Chu says the unprecedented scale of the civil disobedience is victory enough for him to step down from helping to lead the city's democracy movement.
"After all, every generation has its historical mission. This is a successful battle, even though its outcome has yet to be seen," he said.
"I want to spend more time with [my grandchildren] while my physical condition still allows it."
Daniel Chu says he hopes the veteran activist can now enjoy his retirement and work on his memoirs, a record of the path his 30-year fight for democracy has taken.
"Not many Hongkongers have such experiences," he said.
"I have heard those stories of my dad since I was small. These are all precious experiences, which demonstrate his courage, drive and forward thinking. He has made a big impact on me and my younger brother - we will act whenever we find someone in need."
Daniel Chu says he might take up the torch in the fight when "the opportunity comes".
University student Tonya Tai, daughter of another Occupy Central co-founder, Benny Tai Yiu-ting, wrote an article published on the In Media website last week about the "unbearable pain" she felt over her father's "white hair, coarse voice and staggering steps" since the protests began.
Daniel Chu, 41, can sympathise with those feelings, and resents the criticism that has been levelled at the Occupy Central founders. "Why can't others see how much my dad has given?" he asks.
Back in the 1980s, Daniel admired his dad for his involvement in the democracy fight and the extensive network of connections he had developed.
But he understands much more than that now.
"When I was small, I never realised how much pressure was placed on his shoulders," Daniel Chu says. "I still find him amazing, but now I also understand the stress that is suffocating him."
The impasse over the Occupy protests has dragged on for more than 50 days. A court ruling could see one of the blockaded sites cleared today, with the police on hand to help bailiffs. The imminent action will be a crucial step. If both sides can exercise restraint and avoid clashes during the implementation, it can, hopefully, bring a peaceful end to the stalemate.
Such an outcome would be in line with public aspirations. A new university survey found that only one-third of people were still supportive of the pro-democracy civil disobedience movement. Nearly 70 per cent said the protesters should leave.
Having had their Beijing expedition thwarted over the weekend, leaders of the Federation of Students are understandably frustrated. They are entitled to ask why their home return permits - the travel document for Hongkongers to visit the mainland - were invalided by the authorities shortly before boarding. That said, the outcome should not have been too much of a surprise to them. Given Beijing's firm position on political reform, the students probably knew from the beginning that their demand for face-to-face discussions with state officials in the capital was a non-starter.
Hopes of more dialogue with the Hong Kong government have also been dashed. Last week Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor made it clear there was no room for further talks. She blamed student leaders for toughening their stance after the first dialogue did not yield much.
It has become increasingly clear that the occupiers are facing a red light whichever way they go. As the campaign drags on without any significant achievement, patience and support are waning. While student leaders maintain they will not go home unless the government makes concessions, it is good that some occupiers are more forthcoming, saying they will not resist when police take action to clear sites.
It is time the protesters listened to public views and prepared for a peaceful exit.
Some protesters ruled out any moves to end their blockades, saying it would be a "show of weakness" after eight weeks of the campaign. Photo: Felix Wong
Pro-democracy protesters should consider ending road blockades and refocus on winning the long-term support of the public, one of the co-founders of Occupy Central said yesterday.
Dr Chan Kin-man said that if the public wanted the street protests - now in their eighth week - to end, they may no longer be the best way to fight for democracy.
He was speaking after a Chinese University poll released on Sunday showed that 67 per cent of those questioned wanted the protests to end.
"If the Occupy movement has already stirred up considerable social grievances, it signals that the disruption it caused might have exceeded the [acceptable] level and thus [protesters] should change their methods of struggle," Chan, a sociologist at the university, wrote in Ming Pao.
Occupy first came up with the idea of mass sit-ins for democracy and has helped organise the student-led protests.
Dr Chan Kin-man, one of the co-founders of Occupy Central. Photo: Edward Wong
Chan said protesters should consider making the occupation more about the democratic and non-violent spirit of the "umbrella movement" by promoting this idea within the community.
That would be instead of "putting all the emphasis solely on the occupied zones and handing over other communities to the anti-Occupy forces, as is the case now", he said.
Chan's remarks came after Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor ruled out further dialogue with protesters over their request for a greater say in the election of the city's leaders - and as a small part of the camp in Admiralty was dismantled in accordance with a court order.
If immediate retreat was impossible, Chan said protesters should consider ending protests in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay and limiting the occupation to Admiralty, to minimise the impact on residents. He said activists should also mull a retreat if pan-democratic lawmakers resigned to trigger a "de facto referendum" on democracy, as five lawmakers did in 2010.
Chio Ka-fai, a representative of the Federation of Students, said he agreed with Chan that the protesters needed to prepare for a long-term struggle and talk to more people outside the protest zones. He said they had already sought opinions by knocking on doors to see what people thought about Occupy.
However, he disagreed with Chan's suggestion that protesters should consider leaving.
"We're here only because we want the government to respond. So if we leave before the government does anything, it's a bit like an unconditional surrender or a show of weakness," he said.
Federation secretary general Alex Chow Yong-kang said reducing the area of occupation had been on the agenda long ago, but emphasised that the move should be based on agreement among protesters.
Protester Winona Tse Man-yan had reservations about a proposed retreat, but said limiting the protest zone might help soothe public discontent.
Meanwhile, Chan also announced yesterday that he had resigned as head of Chinese University's Centre for Civil Society Studies, which he co-founded. It focuses on developing civil society across China. He expected he would no longer be allowed to travel to the mainland for academic purposes and that he may face court cases. He remains an associate professor of sociology.
In September, Chan, who had already resigned from the Universities Service Centre for China Studies last year, told the Post that he did not regret "for a single minute" initiating the civil disobedience movement because he saw it as his responsibility.
Dr Wong Hung, an associate professor in the university's social work department, will take over at the Centre for Civil Society Studies, according to Chan.
Separately, two University of Hong Kong graduates were denied entry to the mainland last night when they tried to cross the border at Lo Wu. Former HKU Student's Union president Laurence Tang Yat-long and the union's former general secretary Dickson Chau Ka-faat said they were detained and questioned by officials for an hour and denied entry because they might "jeopardise national security" and "breach mainland laws". At least nine students have been barred from entering the mainland since the protests began.
Yvonne Li says even as the clearance begins, there's still time to heal the rift in society, but the community needs to step up and help persuade protesters to leave voluntarily
Unless ordinary citizens find their voice and assist in bringing about dialogue, the schism may never be healed.
The "umbrella movement" will be remembered not only for its political and civic bickering; it will also go down in history as the one event that caused a great schism in Hong Kong society.
In the past, irrespective of anything that transpired, the people of Hong Kong stood together. Now, we have an intolerant community where people are not only standing opposite each other, they are fighting one another. It has been an emotional and stressful period for the Occupy protesters, the Hong Kong government and the police - indeed for all citizens.
Many are debating how a world-class city could be held hostage for more than a month, and almost everyone, including the protesters, are questioning whether the occupation can end peacefully.
While ideas and strategies are being discussed within all camps, from the demonstrators and government, to the pro-Occupy pan-democrats and pro-establishment groups, there appears to be no way to avoid a physical confrontation. What is clear is that the government is running out of ideas and is determined to clear the protest sites. The demonstrators are running out of time and public goodwill as they remain steadfast to their principles.
A purported 1.8 million people have signed a petition asking for the streets to be returned to public use and in support of the police to uphold the rule of law. The public has come out in force, but the student leaders have been quick to denounce its legitimacy. The petition has had little or no effect in changing their minds and the stalemate is now not only with the government but also with a majority of the public.
Backed by High Court injunctions , the clearances have begun. There was little resistance from demonstrators as some barriers were removed in Admiralty. Yet if violence were to break out in the future, such confrontations could provoke more people to come out onto the streets in support of the protesters.
Even if the government and police do manage to clear the sites, the rift in society will remain. While the clearing will, in the short term, open up the roads and enable citizens to get back to their normal lives, the demonstrators could very well start another occupation elsewhere in the future. It would then become a vicious cycle.
Where does the rest of society stand in all this and what can the wider community do? This stalemate requires going beyond signing a petition; it is time for people to step forward and speak to the demonstrators, to help reunify society. Unless ordinary citizens find their voice and assist in bringing about dialogue, the schism may never be healed.
The students are the most passionate among the demonstrators. Instead of speaking to them in anger or lecturing them, the community could put questions to them, to help them consider the consequences of their actions and what their plans will be to assist those who have suffered as a result of the protests.
Expressing tough love while not judging or blaming the students will require tenacity and mindfulness. The students must be made aware that they had the momentum and power at one point, but, by not ending the occupation, they have lost sight of their original intent. Ask them what the best way is to regenerate interest in and commitment to their original intent, which was to gain awareness and recognition of an injustice.
It is important to have principles, but they serve no purpose if they go nowhere and do not help anyone. The protests over an alleged injustice have now led to other injustices; further violence will only add impetus for even more demonstrations. The students' intention to raise awareness has been achieved, with worldwide recognition of their cause. Now is the time for the protesters to change tack and evolve.
Knowing when to stop and producing a clear and practical plan for how and where they envisage future reforms will be key to securing public backing. It is all about expressing views and achieving positive change through genuine influence rather than coercion.
While a peaceful end may appear difficult, the movement can still end on a high note, if the demonstrators willingly cooperate and end the occupation themselves. It will, however, also take help and support from the wider community, with people speaking, writing and discussing without judgment, criticism, anger or blame.
If, for example, 50 citizens from all walks of life speak to the protesters, without politicising the situation, it would certainly have a tremendous impact. But that cannot happen if there is silence and ongoing passiveness from the community.
The rest of the world must be bemused at how Hong Kong can have such a high tolerance for the protests. Most people prefer to go about their daily lives while secretly hoping the movement will disappear. Yet the students came out in the first place to stand up for an important issue when the rest of the community would not.
The "umbrella movement" is not simply about achieving genuine universal suffrage now. The seasoned protesters include workers who are also resolute in wanting a fairer and more equitable society. They are frustrated with the worsening rich-poor divide and the decades of high property prices that exclude the majority from home ownership. They are worried that Hong Kong's individualism and identity as a magnet for all things Chinese and Western are being eroded, due to the government's emphasis on developing the city as an international financial centre and shopping metropolis. This is an ongoing issue that the government will need to address.
By starting from a point of acceptance, genuine dialogue with the student protesters can take place. Expressing an understanding of their situation will allow trust to be established. Where there is trust, there is openness, and ideas and suggestions can be shared more easily. It is not too late to speak to the demonstrators to help them understand that the only way to regain power is to take the high ground; that is, to cease the protests voluntarily.
While this has been a dark period for Hong Kong, the movement can still produce a positive outcome. If that is achieved, then the occupation will go down as one that showed the world how a civil demonstration can go from chaos to order, and the young protesters will have shown their maturity. The outpouring of support will be key to mending the rift and will sow the seeds for future progress. This could well form a new identity for the city, an accepting and mature society that is united in wanting Hong Kong to become the best it can be for all citizens.
Yvonne Li pioneers social innovation and investments in Asia. She is also the founder of the International China Ageing Industry Association. Email: [email protected]
Bailiffs cleared most barricades at the Citic Tower in Admiralty without police help. Photo: Sam Tsang
At least 3,000 officers - more than a tenth of the 28,000-strong police force - will be sent to Mong Kok as soon as tomorrow to assist bailiffs in executing injunctions to reopen occupied roads, a police source says.
This emerged yesterday after smooth clearance of the occupied area around Citic Tower in Admiralty by bailiffs and legal representatives of the building's owners - for which 1,000 police were on standby.
"We will need at least three times more to handle Mong Kok," the source said, adding that at least 100 to 200 protesters in the rowdiest of the three protest sites were expected to resist bailiffs.
"Those who are well-behaved will leave on their own of course, but those who are not will put up a fight," the source said.
Police will discuss the operation today after a review of the bailiffs' actions in Admiralty.
The occupied zone in Mong Kok may not be cleared in one go.
Protesters on Argyle Street may be cleared tomorrow, before the greater number on Nathan Road are tackled, the source said.
The injunction obtained by Chiu Luen Public Light Bus Company for Argyle Street was published in two newspapers yesterday, a requirement of the court. Two taxi groups, granted an injunction in respect of the Nathan Road occupation, have more legal procedures to go through.
The source said protesters who refused to leave would be removed and face arrest. "It would defeat the [court's] original intent if protesters were allowed to remain and traffic could not resume," the source said.
In Admiralty, bailiffs who moved in at 10am cleared most barricades without police assistance. Some barricades were removed by protesters.
But a stand-off developed about an hour later when protesters accused the bailiffs of seeking to clear an area wider than the court order suggested.
The bailiffs had sought to clear the occupiers' base behind metal barricades erected beside the entrance to the Citic Tower car park but backed off after negotiations.
The removal was a result of the injunction obtained by owner Goldon Investment, which filed the application last month.
It opened up both lanes of Lung Wui Road and part of Tim Mei Avenue. Vehicles can now enter Citic Tower through its car park entrance on Tim Mei Avenue via Lung Wui Road.
But part of Tim Mei Avenue remained closed last night, including the section of the Harcourt Road-bound lane outside an electricity substation that was still occupied with tents.
Bailiffs cut ties linking barricades in Admiralty. Photo: Felix Wong
The stand-off developed when protesters asked whether the bailiffs - acting on behalf of Goldon Investment solicitor Simon Au Ming-su - had abused the court order by seeking to remove the protest base.
Lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-ying said the court order to give space for vehicles to pass had been fulfilled. If Citic continued with clearance, "it would be a politically motivated decision".
The leader of Scholarism, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, said the base was not blocking the car park or emergency exits.
The police fire tear gas to protesters at Connaught Road Central in Admiralty. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Britain will not block sales of tear gas to Hong Kong following a review of its export policy after gas was used against Occupy Central protesters in September.
In a written submission to British lawmakers on Monday, Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said there was no proof that the gas deployed by police in Admiralty on September 28 had come from Britain.
"After carefully reviewing one current licence, the government has decided it will not be revoked on the basis that it does not contravene the consolidated criteria" for export licences, Swire wrote.
The review was launched after Hong Kong police used 87 tear gas canisters in an unsuccessful attempt to disperse pro-democracy protesters at the start of the Occupy campaign.
Swire's comments echo those of Britain's Business Secretary Vince Cable, who said last month that exports would continue.
In a written reply to questions from a committee of British lawmakers on arms exports, Cable said: "The foreign secretary has advised me that the use of tear gas by the Hong Kong police was an 'uncharacteristic' response at an earlier stage of the protests … and it was not indicative of a wider pattern of behaviour."
Official records show that since 2011, Hong Kong's Government Logistics Department and police bought at least 14,000 rounds of tear gas from British supplier Chemring. The sales were worth HK$13.8 million.
Yesterday, Britain's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said applications for the sale of tear gas were approved based on international criteria and would be withdrawn if they were no longer met.
A spokesman said the department welcomed a pledge by the Hong Kong police to exercise maximum tolerance, adding: "We have consistently called on all sides to ensure that the demonstrations are peaceful and in accordance with the law."
In 2011, Britain banned tear gas exports to Bahrain after it was used in a crackdown on democracy supporters.
