Hong Kong | Carrie Lam says it’s up to government to deal with unrest

Hong Kong’s embattled leader Carrie Lam vowed that her government would shoulder the responsibility of finding a way out of unrest as she began her first public dialogue event, before a skeptical crowd that repeatedly questioned why she hadn’t agreed to key demands.
“In the past three-plus months, no matter what stance you take, everyone is very heart-broken, upset or even angry. The entire unrest is caused by the government’s work in amending the extradition law,” Lam said last night at the town-hall style session, referring to the controversial bill that first triggered protests. “The government is shouldering the biggest responsibility for finding a way out.”
Lam acknowledged that she was “very worried every day” about the possibility of a casualty on the ground, as protests regularly devolve into violence. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the venue as she spoke after earlier calls for people to form a human chain, chanting “five demands, not one less.” Lam this week urged demonstrators not to disrupt the forum, which is part of an effort to assuage protesters ahead of the Oct. 1 anniversary of Communist rule in China.
Twenty-six out of the 30 members of the public who asked questions urged Lam to meet protesters’ demands, with some asking for her resignation, along with that of Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng and Police Commissioner Stephen Lo.
Multiple people asked Lam why she hadn’t yet agreed to an independent inquiry into what protesters see as aggressive tactics by police in dispersing rallies, one of protesters’ key demands. Three in a row questioned whether officers had acted professionally.
She was also asked how to solve the negative impact on the community caused by tear gas and rubber bullets, used by police in clashes with demonstrators. In response, Lam asked the public to give Hong Kong’s current watchdog time to finish its probe.
Lam at one point acknowledged criticism that’s been directed at her government over a long, hot summer of unrest – and has at times included calls for her resignation. In the days leading up to the forum, she seemed prepared for anger that might come her way.
“No doubt, I will receive some harsh criticism. But I also hope to receive constructive suggestions to help this government meet the public’s expectations for a more inclusive and fairer Hong Kong,” she wrote in a Wednesday opinion piece in the New York Times.
She was joined at the forum by four influential ministers: Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau, Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah and Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan.
Hong Kong’s unrest began in June over legislation that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, and has since widened into a broader movement against Beijing’s increasing influence over the Asian financial hub. Lam’s Sept. 4 withdrawal of the bill – her biggest concession to protesters yet – did little to calm often-violent rallies.
The town hall dialogue comes days ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1. On the mainland, celebrations will include fireworks, a military parade and a speech from President Xi Jinping. MDT/Bloomberg