Issue: Civil disobedience- Occupy Central Movement in Hong Kong

Related concepts and values:

Respect for rule of
Political participation Democracy
Political efficacy
law
(non-institutionalized)
Quality of life
Social harmony
Governance
Civil disobedience
Revision for some key terms:
Rule of law: Six dimensions which include i. obeying the law ii. Equality before the
law iii. Judicial Independence iv. Transparency of the judicial system v. Protection of
individual rights vi. Restrictions on governments power.
Political efficacy: People believe that socio-political participation can influence public
affairs or government policies so that they participate in socio-political affairs more
proactively.
Civil disobedience:
Aim: to fight for the amendment or abolition of laws that is obviously unjust(eg.
Against human rights) or being injustice
Key elements: peacefulness, rationality and non-violence, pinpointing certain laws but
not against the entire legal system. Emphasizing public interests and sense of justice.
Introduction of the Occupy Central Movement:
Benny Tai Yiu-ting, an Associate Professor of the HKU Department of Law (
), suggests that people occupy Central, the hub of business
activity of Hong Kong, to ensure that they will see a real democratic Chief Executive
(CE) election in 2017.
Indeed, Articles 45 and 68 of the Basic Law state that the ultimate aim is the selection
of the CE and all the Legco members by universal suffrage (). And the central
authorities say Hong Kong people "may" democratically elect their CE in 2017 and
all their legislators in 2020.
The Civic Party will join Occupy Central, a civil-disobedience movement that party
leader Alan Leong Kah-kit describes as the only tangible last resort to strive for
Leong was responding yesterday to a screening mechanism that Beijing-loyalist
heavyweights from Hong Kong suggested introducing for the 2017 chief executive
election supposedly the first to be held under universal suffrage that could block
pan-democrats from contesting.
Response from relevant stakeholders:
The police chief issued his warning on the same day that Ng Hon-mun, former
National Peoples Congress deputy, described Occupy Central as no more than a
juicy slogan of the moment.
Proponents of the plan are not looking for a peaceful demonstration but to
paralyse Hong Kong, Ng wrote in his column with Chinese-language newspaper
Ming Pao.
They know they cannot force Beijing to change its mind by themselves. The plan,

hence, aims to draw the worlds attention and force Beijing to yield under
international pressure.
Qiao Xiaoyang, director of the NPC Law Committee, reiterated on Sunday that the
central government is firm and steadfast on adopting universal suffrage in Hong
Kong from 2017, that Chief Executive Election candidates must be patriotic, and that
election by universal suffrage must adhere to the Basic Law and relevant decisions of
the NPCSC.
Qiaos words unmistakably stated the central authorities bottom line on the matter:
anyone who stands against the central government will never be accepted as chief
executive of the HKSAR.
Qiaos emphasis on this bottom line is intended to shake the opposition camp in Hong
Kong and Western anti-China forces out of their fantasy of challenging the patriotic
Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong principle and using the alliance for
universal suffrage or Occupy Central to force the central government to accept
their demands for the HKSAR Chief Executive election.
The bottom line is reaffirmed on behalf of the central government, therefore Hong
Kong residents need to decide for themselves whether they should elect an anticentral authorities die-hard as their Chief Executive.
Commissioner of Police Andy Tsang Wai-hung warned people to think twice about
joining the Occupy Central protest next year, which organisers said would be the
last resort to force Beijing to grant the city full democracy.
Separately, Beijing loyalists also spoke up against the Occupy Central movement,
while a former top adviser to the colonial government who believed Hong Kong was
ready for universal suffrage expressed support for the citys democracy demands.
Universal suffrage for chief executive is not unconditional and a process to
ferment the right candidates is necessary, he said, citing the Basic Law.
Lau Nai-keung, a member of the Basic Law Committee, also urged Beijing to declare
its stance against Occupy Central.
Effects done to society
(i)Destruct Hong Kong citizens quality of life.
The Occupy Central Movement which includes a massive protest to block roads in the
business district. likely to cause serious public nuisance, or even widespread
disruptions to normal business operations, the stock market, public transport network,
and even police services.
(ii) Damage rule of law

Rule of law is one of Hong Kong's greatest strengths, an integral part of the core va
lues ingrained inHong Kong people's psyche. It is the cornerstone for Hong Kong's
many successes. However the Occupy Central Movement act against the law in
blocking roads in busy areas which would destruct social and political stability.
(iii) Damage the citys image as an international commercial and financial centre
The Occupy Central Movement would hamper the economy in Hong Kong by
disrupting the normal business operations and trade activities in Central.
(iv) Confrontation with the CPC is likely to damage the relationship with China
Under "One Country, Two Systems", Hong Kong has retained its Common-Law syste
m, supplementedby local legislation, which enables the rule of law in the city to thrive
and operate effectively.Furthermore, the Basic Law and relevant decisions of the Nati
onal People's Congress StandingCommittee (NPCSC) have clearly established the rul
es of procedure for selecting the chief executiveby universal suffrage.
Questions:
1. To what extent do you agree with Benny Tai Yiu-tings Occupy
Central Movement in achieving a democratic Chief Executive
election in 2017?
2. Suggest three pairs of stakeholders that are in conflicts.