Mehmet Özay 26 June 2019
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| foto:asiatimes.com |
The re-emergence of a series
of the mass demonstrations in large avenues and public squares of Hong Kong,
which is recognized as being among the international financial and trade
centers, in the middle of June, is not surprising.
The people of Hong Kong have
been on the streets opposing a proposed law allowing extradition of suspects
for trial in mainland China.
This law arrangement
offered by the Island’s Chief Executive to be discussed in the parliament
without consulting the public is believed to be a political decision imposed by
mainland China.
What makes the series of
demonstrations important is that the people of Hong Kong are having growing suspicions about
the fairness of rule on the Island.
A thriving number of the
protestors, who represent the diverse ways of life in Hong Kong society have
come together to protest against the reshaping of the Island’s political
environment. This also shows that they
feel themselves to be under a gradually growing threat and danger of the impositions
by Beijing.
While the Chinese
government argues that the proposed law is related to security issues, people
in Hong Kong consider it as a tool of impairment of the established democratic
rules and regulations in the Island.
The latest law proposal is
not a sole case, rather it is proof that there have been consecutive arrangements
making the Island’s public life unbearable in terms of public law rights.
This is the exact reason behind
the Island’s public outpour onto the streets as an expression of their view
against the undemocratic processes run by the rulers who have been accused of
being puppets of Beijing. Chinese rule tries to impose its own repressive laws,
as observed in the form of the extradition case, bypassing the Island’s public
through utilizing the institution of the Chief Executive.
In this regard, the mass
demonstrations cam be fairly considered as a reaction to the imposition
policies of the rules and regulations by Beijing. In fact, this is not the only
reason for the enduring demonstrations but rather it is considered to be another
stage of curtailment of the Island’s socio-political landscape, determined by
the Beijing politics.
Starting just a few days
before the second-round discussion of the law proposal in parliament, the
demonstrators were able to suspend the process. In addition, although they were
unable to succeed in forcing the resignation of Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive,
from her post, the latter has publicly apologized to the public.
This is a mass movement by
civil participants who marched in a peaceful manner through the large avenues
of the Island, which also witnessed the Occupation movement in 2017 in response
to mainland China rule which failed to keep its promise to initiate universal
suffrage.
Though some circles
assume that this was just a standard demonstration, in fact it is a proof of
the crucial transformation of the Island dwellers in terms of political
mobilization.
Taking the huge
participation into consideration, one can assert that the failure of China rule
seems to have naturally united the people of the Island to advocate for their
rights.
In the past several years,
the Island’s dwellers have been gradually transforming, as observed, into a mass
movement in growing numbers to save their future from the undemocratic rule of
China. And this is the picture of Hong Kong in these years.
There are some important
aspects to the June demonstrations. First, it shows a significant increase in the
number of the participants, exceeding that of the 2014 demonstrations.
It was then known as the
Umbrella Movement, which took the stage for almost 3 months against the
undemocratic practices of the Island government and was described as historically
the largest turnout with an attendance of over a million individuals.
Secondly, it signals to
both the Island’s special administration, and to Beijing, that the Island’s
public highly care about their future and the freedom of the next generation.
Thirdly, the Hong Kong
diaspora, such as students and migrant workers, particularly in Western capitals
came out in support of the movement. Despite their minor numbers, these
appearances were symbolically important, with banners demanding that their
democratic rights not be grabbed by mainland China. This means that the
political movements in Hong Kong is expanding onto the global stage.
Fourthly, these demonstrators are
capable of organizing demonstrations on their own personal initiatives and
through their civil institutions which seems to be quite challenging for Beijing.
There is no doubt that this reality is giving a strong message to the mainland
China rule.
At this point, one should
argue that there is a strong division between the Island’s ruling elite, who
represent mainland China’s political regime, and the Hong Kongers who call
themselves as citizens of Hong Kong, not citizens of the People’s Republic of
China.
But today what marks these
June demonstrations, continuing till date, is the active participation of the
huge number of people. In fact, these are the largest demonstrations seen in
the Island against Chinese rule since the Island’s union with China in 1997.
The Island folks admit
that they will not surrender to the rulers of the Island’s administration, who
are directed by Beijing. This challenge bore immediate results in that Carrie
Lam, the Chief Executive, announced the suspension of the discussions pertaining
to the mentioned law in parliament. In the aftermath, however, she has declined,
till today, to withdraw the proposed law or resign from her post.
These series of
demonstrations are clear expressions of democratic wishes of the people on the
Island. Here, one can argue that these large scale social movements prove the
discontent of the ordinary Island folks against the current political rule in
China. And the former does not want to relinquish the political arena to the
latter to play its own game freely.
Though both the rulers
and ruling party of China are proud of reaching the second top level spot in
economic development after the US globally, this does not give any hope to the
peoples living in the autonomous regions which are under the indirect rule of
Beijing such as Hong Kong.
The increase in the size of demonstrations in Hong
Kong has already become a increasingly discernable phenomenon for the people to
express their views, especially those who feel themselves to be under the
threats and pressures of Chinese regime.
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