Hong Kong and the Arab Spring

October 14, 2014

Joshua Wong is a charismatic, small-made, teenage schoolboy, going on 18
years, who wears rectangular glasses and sports a soup-bowl haircut. he
other night he stood be!ore an ocean o! protesters who had ta"en o#er
downtown $ong %ong, holding two microphones and addressing the
massi#e crowd. $is deep #oice was drowned out by cheers. he crowd did
not mind, they "new him and his message well.
&oung Joshua has been at the centre o! the democracy mo#ement in $ong
%ong which has rattled 'ei(ing)s hold on the city. On 1 October, the day on
which the *eople)s +epublic o! ,hina - o! which $ong %ong is a .pecial
/dministrati#e +egion - celebrates the ta"eo#er o! ,hina by the ,ommunist
*arty 01 years ago, the 'ei(ing-appointed ,hie! 23ecuti#e o! $ong %ong
4eung ,hun-ying raised the ,hinese 5ag as the 6ational /nthem played at
the location !rom which the protesters were barred. 4eung is the ,2O o!
$ong %ong, chosen by a 'ei(ing-appointed committee, by 087 #otes - the
protestors) derisi#e nic"name !or 4eung is 8087)9
Joshua Wong)s reaction: ;When < heard the 6ational /nthem starting to
play, < did not !eel mo#ed as much as angry. When it tells you, 8/rise9 /ll
those who re!use to be sla#es9) - how is our treatment today any di=erent
!rom sla#es>?
@ighting !or !reedom
he protesters in $ong %ong, who wear yellow ribbons, are Aghting !or the
right to !ree elections in $ong %ong, one man one #ote and the right to
elect a candidate who will be ,2O o! $ong %ong in 201B, who is not #etted
and appro#ed by 'ei(ing. 4eung has said that the Co#ernment o! ,hina will
not agree. he protesters ha#e also called !or 4eung)s resignationD their
posters show him as 087, li"e Eracula with !angs9
4eung has said that he will not resign as he has to 8continue my wor" on
uni#ersal su=rage) !or the people o! $ong %ong. 'ut he proposed that the
protesters hold tal"s with his Eeputy, the ,hie! .ecretary o! $ong %ong,
,arrie 4am. /t the time o! writing, the protesters had agreed to tal"s, but
a!ter they were attac"ed in one o! the upmar"et shopping areas o! $ong
%ong by a group which claimed to support the Co#ernment)s position, with
its members sporting blue ribbons, they threatened to call o= tal"s.
he protesters alleged that the 'ei(ing Co#ernment had set up the
attac"ers and that they were members o! $ong %ong)s notorious riad
Cangs. he $ong %ong *olice said they ha#e arrested some riad Cang
members. he attac"ers claimed that they were annoyed with the
protesters due to their li#elihoods being a=ected by the disruption caused
by the protests in what is the #irtual Colden $oliday Wee" !or retailers, due
to business !rom Fainland shoppers #isiting $ong %ong during the ,hinese
6ational Eay holiday.
4eung had set Fonday 0 October as the deadline !or the protesters to
#oluntarily #acate protest sites. <! not, what ne3t> 6o one "nows. 'ei(ing)s
!ormula !or dealing with dissent on the Fainland, a combination o! astute
bargaining, thuggish #iolence, ruthless treatment o! ringleaders, tight
control o! media and internet, will be too ris"y to be applied in $ong %ong.
'ei(ing may not want to ris" $ong %ong)s reputation !or stability.
*resident Gi recently met with B0 o! $ong %ong)s super rich to assure them
o! his awareness o! their concerns. he 'ritish ran $ong %ong, while a
colony, by playing up to the ai-pans HtycoonsI and suppressing the masses.
Joshua Wong
Joshua Wong emerged as a Agure in $ong %ong)s acti#ist circles two years
ago, when he rallied $ong %ong students against a mo#e by the
Co#ernment to introduce what was called 8patriotic education) in schools,
opposing it on the ground o! it being an attempt to introduce ,ommunist
*arty indoctrination into $ong %ong)s schools.
Wong and his classmates !ormed a youth group, calling itsel! 8.cholarism) to
Aght the imposition proposed. <nitially an internet-based mo#ement, as
more students (oined it became a potent !orce. /!ter massi#e street
protests in 2012, the Co#ernment shel#ed the plan. .ince then .cholarism
has been a ma(or !orce in the protest mo#ement !or democratic elections.
&oung Joshua gal#anised the protesters by suddenly leading a charge on a
Co#ernment building in $ong %ong that resulted in his arrest by the *olice.
/ writ o! $abeas ,orpus application Aled be!ore the $ong %ong courts
resulted in his release two days later. he $ong %ong establishment, and
that part o! the business community which supports 'ei(ing, are incensed
that so much disruption is being caused by protesters led by a 8bunch o!
"ids). One tycoon, in a J inter#iew, Kuestioned: ;Joshua Wong is (ust 1B
years old - has he got no homewor" to do>?
he reality is that Joshua and his generation o! students, the Arst that grew
up in $ong %ong a!ter it shi!ted to rule !rom 'ei(ing, in 177B, a!ter being a
'ritish colony, is one o! the sectors o! society most alienated !rom 'ei(ing)s
in5uence. he ,ommunist *arty has tried its le#el best to win o#er the
people o! $ong %ong and turn them into 8patriotic) citiLens o! the *eople)s
+epublic.
Joshua Wong embodies a shi!t in politics, which is ta"ing place worldwide -
youth anger and alienation ampliAed o#er the internet, completely beyond
the orbit o! traditional political parties.
he $ong %ong Co#ernment and 'ei(ing has been con!ounded and
in!uriated by this de#elopment. Joshua Wong is a political upstart - a hybrid
o! a solemn politician and a bash!ul teenage sensation. $e recently told the
6ew &or" imes: ;2lectoral re!orm in $ong %ong is a generational war.?
,hen &un-chung, /ssociate *ro!essor o! ,ultural .tudies at 4ingnan
Mni#ersity, $ong %ong, said Wong)s generation o! high school acti#ists had
;out5an"ed both the Co#ernment and the older, more cautious generations
o! democrats. heir mentality is di=erent !rom the older generationD they
represent a culture o! resistance that is idealistic and #ery persistent among
high school students in $ong %ong. here is always a danger o! an e#en
harsher crac"down that will scare the hell out o! $ong %ong people. 'ut at
the same time < don)t thin" these student leaders are (ust daydreamers.
hey "now they might not get what they want, but most o! them are
prepared to Aght on.?
Wong in an inter#iew earlier said: ;,ompromising be!ore you e#en begin
Aghting is illogical. < ha#e no problems with negotiation. 'ut be!ore you do
that, you better ha#e some bargaining chips. <! you don)t ha#e that, how do
you Aght a war>?
Occupying "ey areas in $ong %ong (ust may be those chips9 he $ong %ong
authorities Arst tried to #iolently dri#e away the protesters, using pepper
spray and tear gas, but that strategy !ailed and they seem to be now trying
to wear down the protesters.
,hina worried
,hina is worried about the $ong %ong situation due to other parts o! ,hina
showing the same type o! opposition to the ,ommunist *arty - the ibetans
and the Mighurs in Gin(iang are in !erment.
he uniAcation o! the democratic aiwan with the *eople)s +epublic is also a
dream o! the ,hinese rulers. @or that to be achie#ed, the 8One country, two
systems) agreement, hammered out by Eeng $siao *ing and Fargaret
hatcher, has to be shown to be wor"able.
/n e3iled leader o! the Mighurs o! Gin(iang has said that ;the $ong %ong
protests were #ery inspiring to the Mighurs?. <n aiwan there ha#e been
demonstrations in support o! the $ong %ong protesters.
hree plausible outcomes
here are three plausible outcomes o! the $ong %ong situation. @irst, that
the protesters will be able to win small concessions o! democratic processes
!rom 'ei(ing. .econd, that 'ei(ing does not show 5e3ibility and $ong %ong
will re#ert to an uneasy status Kuo ante, in a sullen and #olcanic spirit.
hird, 'ei(ing will abruptly decide to call o= the whole 8One country, two
systems) e3periment and smash the protests with the *eople)s 4iberation
/rmy bac"ing up the $ong %ong *olice.
he chances o! the third option are remote, as $ong %ong)s openness -
both Anancial as well political - is what ma"es it important to ,hina. 'ei(ing
"nows that the only guarantor o! a stable country is a people satisAed with
its Co#ernment.
@or the present, ,hina is ta"ing a hard line. @oreign Finister Wang &i has
said ;no country would allow those illegal acts that #iolate public order.
hat)s the situation in the Mnited .tates, and that)s the same situation in
$ong %ong.?
he *eople)s 4iberation /rmy has been garrisoned in $ong %ong since 177B.
<n !act some o! the protesters) demonstration too" place in !orm their
barrac"s. ,hina)s 6ational ourism /dministration has told mainland tour
operators to suspend tours to $ong %ong, probably to put pressure.
/ !ront page editorial in 'ei(ing)s *eople)s Eaily said that the protesters had
;blasphemed? against $ong %ong)s law and ;disrupted society?. <t said that
the protest mo#ement ;will ha#e negati#e conseKuences !or $ong %ong and
all its people?. <! it continues, the conseKuences will be unimaginable.
/n e3tremely small number o! acti#ists had, !or their own sel!-interest,
ignored the law. his is not communication, it is con!rontation. / small
number o! $ong %ong people are insistent on resistance and pro#ocation,
and in the end they will su=er because o! it. he Fonday deadline set by
8087 4eung) is awaited.
/rab .pring similarities
<s there a similarity between the /rab .pring and the $ong %ong protests> /
young unemployed youth, Fohamed 'ouaLiLi, in unisia, one among
thousands, who was unable to And a (ob consonant with his KualiAcations,
did the ne3t best thing, he started a business. $e rented a cart and brought
some !ruits and #egetables !rom a wholesale trader, with some borrowed
capital, and started a retail business in a one o! unis)s mar"ets.
hings went well until the city)s municipal mar"et inspectors came on one
o! their regular rent see"ing raids. he young graduate trader re!used to
pay them a bribeD the inspectors assaulted him brutally and seiLed and too"
away his !ruit and cart. @rustrated, the young man doused himsel! in petrol
and set himsel! on Are in !ront o! the unis Co#ernor)s oNce in protest. his
was the straw that bro"e the pro#erbial camel)s bac".
+iots bro"e out against the repressi#e dictatorship o! *resident 'en /li. his
made e#en more historic and stunning by the !act that 'en /li was a
military man, but he made the !atal error o! distancing himsel! !rom the
pro!essional /rmy and used a more politicised .pecial *residential *olice
@orce as his tool o! choice !or the brutal repression o! the people o! unisia,
at the same time indulging in a particularly e3treme type o! #enal crony
capitalism to enrich his relati#es and cronies.
<t is reported that FcEonalds, o! 'ig Fac !ame, had decided not to in#est in
unisia as they were being compelled to ha#e a sleeping partner !rom 'en
/li)s !amily9 /n increasingly-educated population - between hal! and two-
thirds under the age o! 21 - was hostile to the 'en /li "leptocracy.
2conomic hardship combined with high youth unemployment and !ood and
!uel price in5ation was the trigger that ignited the Arestorm in an
en#ironment which was metaphorically tinder dry with !rustration. $uge
banners o! 'en /li)s !ace !estooning unis)s streets are being torn down and
burnt by angry crowds.
'en /li)s abrupt departure
Oeine al-/bidine 'en /li, until a !ew years ago, !or more than 2P years, was
dictator-in-chie! o! unisiaD he is now in e3ile in .audi /rabia with his !amily.
'en /li seiLed power in a 8medical coup) against his sic" and ageing
predecessor in 178B and turned unisia into an e#en more repressi#e brutal
police state. 6ow he is history.
he 8Jasmine +e#olution) in unisia HJasmine is the national 5owerI is the
Arst time e#er an /rab dictator in 6orth /!rica has been dri#en out by a
popular uprising. <t is the /rab world)s Arst popular uprising in 10 years. he
internet, Coogle, @aceboo" and witter played a ma(or role in mobilising
young unisians !or the demonstrations and "eeping people abreast with
the !ast-brea"ing news, especially o! 'en /li)s abrupt departure.
Eictators and autocrats the world o#er pored o#er the seKuence o! e#ents
which dro#e 'en /li out and loo"ing at their own states wondering whether
the day o! rec"oning is around the corner. here ha#e been copycat sel!-
immolations in other /rab cities !ollowing 'ouaLiLi)s e3ample in 2gypt,
/lgeria and Fauritania.
he ailing president $osni Fubara" o! 2gypt is one such autocrat, who was
ousted !rom power. $e was trying to ha#e his son Camal to succeed him.
'ut Camal is not a military man unli"e the !ather and the 2gyptian armed
!orces did not !all in line. *ost-/rab .pring, elections were held, which
elected *resident Forsi !rom the Fuslim 'rotherhood, whom the military
later ousted, and held a pro !orma election to elect their @ield Farshal as
*resident.
he /rab .pring was !ocused on Forocco, /lgeria, 4ibya, 2gypt, .udan,
2thiopia, &emen, 'ahrain and .yria. ,olonel CadaN o! 4ibya said that the
unisians were too hasty to get rid o! 'en /li. $e too, was soon gone,
caught hiding in a road side cul#ert.
+e#olt o! young people
/re Joshua Wong and Fohamed 'ouaLiLi comrades in re#olt> here are
certainly commonalities and also distinctions. he re#olt o! young people
against the establishment is !undamental. he !act that 'ouaLiLi had to "ill
himsel! and Wong is ali#e, though arrested and released, is a primary
di=erence.
he writ o! $abeas ,orpus is probably not heard o! in unisia, lea#e alone a
(udge who will ha#e the courage to release on bail a protester against the
Co#ernment9 .o $ong %ong)s heritage o! the +ule o! 4aw and good
go#ernance is a positi#e, which, when compared with the *eople)s +epublic,
the acti#ists are Aghting !or. Fore strength to their elbow9
echnology played a huge part. he internet, @aceboo", witter, Coogle and
4C mobile phones Ared up both the /rab .pring and the $ong %ong
uprising. One young $ong %ong protester put it succinctly: ;<)#e heard the
Arst we)ll "now o! a crac"down is when our phone signals are cut o= and
there are no internet connections.?
We in .ri 4an"a ha#e Arsthand "nowledge o! re#olts by young people. he
*eople)s 4iberation /rmy being under the control o! the ,ommunist *arty is
another danger, li"e the military domination in West /sia and 6orth /!rica.
+emember the role o! the *eople)s 4iberation /rmy in iananmen .Kuare>
he /rab .pring led to a slaughter o! the innocents in most cases. <n .ri
4an"a we ha#e similar historical causes !or concern.
<n $ong %ong, the photo o! a policeman in a gas mas" using his water bottle
to rinse the eyes o! a protester a!ter the *olice had used pepper spray says
it all9 One hopes that this same spirit o! compassion will be sustained in
$ong %ong, and the situation will not descend to le#els o! what is reported
!rom Gin(iang and ibet or e#en a replay o! iananmen .Kuare.
Jisitors !rom mainland ,hina also sympathise. One demonstrator said:
;*eople coming !rom ,hina as" what we are doing, when we e3plain it to
them, they say they li"e what we are doing and they ta"e our &ellow
+ibbons to wear.? he student said she handed out 2,000 yellow ribbons to
mainland shoppers at .ogo department store, a !a#ourite haunt o! mainland
shoppers. O! course there were others who wore the 'lue +ibbons o! the
anti-protesters.
Eictatorship, autocracy and a partial democracy - the /rab .pring di=ers
!rom $ong %ong in this way too. When thunder and lightning ripped through
$ong %ong s"ies and rain drenched the protesters, they chanted in
,antonese : ;Fan is being blamed because the hea#ens are angry.? he
meaning was clearD the gods were angry at the beha#iour o! the $ong %ong
authorities and brought down the deluge9 .imilar to our 8Ee#o Wassatu
%alena - +a(a 'ha#atu Ehammi"o) - 8may be the ruler be (ust, may the rain
!all on time).
*rognosis not good
he prognosis !or $ong %ong on the /rab .pring e3ample is not good. West
/sia and 6orth /!rica, especially the <slamic parts, are in chaos. *ost-/rab
.pring the terrorist <slamic .tate is widening its area o! control,
notwithstanding air and land attac"s by a coalition o! states led by the M./.
,hina worries that its 'ei(ing Fodel, which *resident Gi is promoting -
stable, predictable, ,ommunist *arty domination, an honest ,on!ucius type
meritocratic bureaucracy and e#ery 10 years a peace!ul change in the
leadership within the ,ommunist *arty - is better than the political gridloc"
!ound in the M./ or the con!usion and chaos in other populist electocracies
worldwide and the mayhem in West /sia and 6orth /!rica. What happens in
$ong %ong will set the trend.
al"s on tal"s too" place, but the Co#ernment has suddenly bac"ed out,
perhaps thin"ing that the protests ha#e lost momentum. he students ha#e
called !or renewed protests. <t would be sensible !or the protesters to parlay
their success hitherto into meaning!ul concessions !rom the Co#ernment -
a=ordable housing and education, a redress to ineKuality, impro#ed public
ser#ices and a genuine !ramewor" !or political re!orm and engagement with
'ei(ing.
<! it wor"s, Joshua Wong can demonstrate that they too" on and ga#e
Coliath in 'ei(ing a good Aght and achie#ed something substantial - unli"e
his late comrade-in-arms in unisia, the late lamented Fohamed 'ouaLiLi.
Hhe writer is a lawyer, who has o#er P0 years o! e3perience as a ,2O in
both .tate and pri#ate sectors. $e retired !rom the oNce o! .ecretary,
Finistry o! @inance and currently is the Fanaging Eirector o! the .ri 4an"a
'usiness Ee#elopment ,entre.I
Posted by Thavam