Hong Kong protestors wait for Beijings

response
Student activists sleep in the shade of umbrellas in Hong Kong Tuesday. Pic: AP.
By Cormac McCartan Sep 3! "#$
As China prepares to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment
of the Peoples Repblic of China! Hong Kong is in the process of attempting to
overthrow that very same political an" social or"er# Alrea"y into "ay three of the
$ccpy Central campaign! tens of thosan"s of pro%"emocracy protestors contine to
hol" Hong Kong city centre at a stan"still! forcing ban& branches to close in the
"owntown area to close an" prompting Hong Kong stoc&s to fall '#( percent in the
campaigns first "ay# All the while the athorities &eep their "istance#
)he aim of the $ccpy Central campaign is to bring abot political reform by shtting
"own Hong Kongs financial "istrict# Althogh the campaign previosly lac&e" pblic
bac&ing! the polices e*cessive se of force in "ispersing protestors over the wee&en"!
with tear gas an" pepper spray! has rge" tens of thosan"s of protestors on to the
citys streets in spport of the movement# +ow occpying &ey "istricts of the
"owntown area with angere" an" "etermine" protestors behin" their case! Beijing
cannot affor" to tolerate the campaign for a sstaine" perio" an" mst "eci"e on a
corse of action# Protest organi,ers isse" Hong Kong Chief -*ective C. /eng with
an ltimatm )es"ay! saying he has ntil $ctober ' to respon" to meet their "eman"s
an" step "own#
At this time! the athorities are re%thin&ing their options# )hey realise it is conter%
pro"ctive to ta&e a har"%line approach 0as they "i" "ring the wee&en"1 against the
protestors!2 sai" 3oseph Chang! a political%science professor at City 4niversity in Hong
Kong an" convener of the Alliance for )re 5emocracy! a coalition of "emocratic
parties spporting $ccpy Central#
6/78- 4P5A)-9: Hong Kong pro%"emocracy protests contine;
)he se of force in <enching the movement wol" not only be a PR "isaster for the
Commnist Party internationally = "rawing comparisons with the )iananmen 9<are
crac&"own in '(>( = bt wol" li&ely instigate more pblic spport an" frther
cement opposition against Beijing an" the Hong Kong police#
People acte" spontaneosly 0on the wee&en" when joining the protests1# )hey were
not following the call from pro%"emocracy party lea"ers! bt were angry by what they
saw from the police an" too& to the streets themselves to vent!2 sai" Chang! who was
also "etaine" for '? hors by police for protesting! which he col" be later prosecte"
for#
7f the se of force is an nli&ely "eterrent against the civil "isobe"ience movement!
then Beijings remaining options in reclaiming the city centre seem limite"# )he
athorities can hol" ot an" hope the movement rns ot of steam over the coming
"ays! with many sspecting that Hong Kong wor&ers are not willing to lose their jobs
for the case#
However! the st"ents annonce" @on"ay that they have e*ten"e" their class boycott
in"efinitely! an" the $ccpy Central campaign has being preparing for the occpation
for some time! arranging foo" spplies! portaloos an" electrical power otlets# )his
wol" sggest that the occpy movement col" be a prolonge" affair! an" crow"s were
growing again on Hong Kongs streets on )es"ay afternoon#
Another option! an" the least li&ely! is that Beijing will negotiate with the protestors!
grant them their "eman"s for the resignation of Hong Kongs Chief -*ective /eng
Chn%yings! an" possibly allow Hong Kong the power the elect its own can"i"ates for
the ?A'B election as previosly promise"# Bt the Commnist Party yiel"ing to the
"eman"s of mass protests! which are illegal in mainlan" China! wol" be an act of
wea&ness that an alrea"y fragile an" "eeply insecre party wol" never permit#
$nly hors away from the +ational 5ay on $ctober '! the holi"ay in Hong Kong is
e*pecte" to bring more spporters to the streets which will only reinforce the pro%
"emocracy movement an" frther bac& Beijing into a corner! where they col" be
force" to lash ot#
Poste" by )havam