Robert Carroll
Finally genuine dialogue has been promised between protestors and the government. C.Y. Leung’s number two Carrie Lam Yuet-ngor is due to meet students for a series of talks, on political reform, which the students’ representative who fixed the deal, Lester Shum, said would be conducted with mutual trust and on a base of equality.
So far so good except that that the government is still insisting that the talks cannot go beyond the NPC’s declared framework. However as talks proceed there’s an opportunity for mutual trust and goodwill to bud and grow, an essential foundation on which to build a constructive relationship. That done, hypothetically, there should be room for a second round of talks going beyond the agreed limits, or even with the first round, a window to widen the discussions.
Considering that there is a second round of public consultations on political reform, logically there should be room for some flexibility. It seems unlikely that we’ll see much give, if any, on the proposals. But as a face saving exercise, surely a solid promise of genuine improvement for future elections could be a way out of the current impasse.
The central government’s hardline on political reform has been explained by commentators as predictable when taking on board the regime’s mentality and political practice; brook no opposition and strike hard when it occurs along with associated preventative measures. However when even among their strongest supporters here there were greater expectations, there seems to be a disregard for sentiments in Hong Kong in favour of what is perceived to be in the best national interests.
Getting back to the upcoming dialogue with the students who have made up the vast majority of protestors, it’s far better than recent thuggish attempts to apparently influence events. A senior South China Morning Post editor was assaulted by a non-HKU student, a mainlander, who gate-crashed his lecture at the University of Hong Kong, reportedly saying: ‘You mean there’s a problem assaulting a foreign teacher?’ This was at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre.
Another shocking event where crude brute force seemed to be used for influence was at an Occupy site in Kowloon. Two women were violently grabbed by the breasts in an unprovoked attack with police present. If the government wishes to get the people of Hong Kong on their side they should seek means to prevent re-occurrences of this kind and make it clear they are doing so. If these were spontaneous attacks, it’s one matter, but, if pre-meditated, another.
Some final words about the protests: Regardless of how anyone feels about downsides, the disruption to businesses and employees, educational institutions and economic losses as a whole, as well as divisions within the community, history was made here.
As others have commented, these were astonishingly peaceful demonstrations which brought out the best in school and university students in terms of solidarity, respect for and helpfulness towards their fellow protestors and passers by. And also, remarkably, they carried it off, even though most were spontaneous small groups, acting within a much larger mass. This when students had been largely seen as apathetic here in terms of civic spirit and politics.
Let’s hope that this new young spirit will grow into a force for good in society and not spur radical off-shoots, know the limits of confrontation while maintaining a voice that’s listened to, as these youngsters join adult society and the workforce.
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