Initiatives for China Statement on Current Hong Kong Political Situation
The movement Occupy Central, which was seeking popular suffrage in Hong Kong, was abruptly ended by force in December, but not before it had grown into a global phenomenon called the Umbrella Movement.
However, Hong Kong residents have never given up their cry for democracy. In recent days, the Hong Kong government has taken steps to stop popular suffrage (or 2017, and to move farther away from path to democracy.
It is reported that the Hong Kong Department of Justice stated on January 8 that 22 people involved in the Umbrella Movement would be charged with contempt of court. Civic Party vice chair Tana Chan was been arrested, and more leading individuals will eventually be taken to court.
The following individuals have also been questioned: Alex Chow, Albert Ho, Tommy Cheung, CHOW Hang Tung , and the list goes on. These actions show the Hong Kong government has begun retaliation against those who defy it. The Leung Chun Ying regime has received and is following orders from Beijing to opress democratic forces.
We fear that these court moves are just a tip of the iceberg, and that more persecution will follow, such as travel restrictions, revoking Home Return Permit, denial of Macao entry, and other economic sanctions that have occurred in the past. What’s more worrying is enemies of democracy have escalated their attacks by utilizing local thugs.
The Next Media magazine office building and its owner Jimmy Lai have been victims of recent arson attacks involving Molotov cocktails. Such attacks against democracy indicates how low the Hong Kong regime and the its backing forces will go.
In the meantime, the Hong Kong administration continues to perfunctorily support democracy with words – but not with action. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying launched his second round of political reform consultation on January 7, 2015. Despite his rhetoric encouraging local residents of all walks of life to express their opinions, he insists such a consultation must be based on the resolution passed by the National People’s Congress last August, without any real reform motions.
The Hong Kong regime has submitted its report to the Beijing Central Government titled “Recent Social and Political Situations in Hong Kong.” The report avoids the essential elements of Hong Kong situation, and therefore, this round of reform consultaton is just political smoke and mirrors.
Hong Kong democratic forces shall never give up and will be mobilized by joint hands. On January 12, the Civil Human Rights Front of Hong Kong announced its plan to hold rally for popular suffrage on February 1, 2015, with anticipated 50, 000 participants. Within Hong Kong Legislative Council, democratic forces have been working to unify all possible supporters to veto the Hong Kong government’s election proposal. Albert Ho Chun-Yan has decided to resign after such veto, invoking a referendum during his re-election. These actions show a new round of large-scale civil disobedience have been in the making.
We must strike to protect democratic individuals in Hong Kong in order to push further the democracy movement there. Initiatives for China therefore calls on residents of all walks of life in Hong Kong to collect information and evidence of those behind political repression, violent intimidation, and harmful intent toward democratic figures. We shall join the international community in legal action against those accountable violators. In particular, we shall push the U.S. Congress in its implementation of the Global Magnitsky Act to punish those accountable personnel in terms of visa restriction and property freezing.
We at Initiatives for China call on democratic forces of global Chinese expatriate community to join for the future of Hong Kong democracy with warm attention and firm support. We must act in unity now to share with local communities around the world the truth in support Hong Kong democracy, promoting our mission, and mobilizing global support.