Country Watch
ture plans for a ballot. Such a decision, however, could take five months. The Catalan government hopes the process will be expedited.
* Submitted by Cana Noel Pro-Democracy Protests in Hong Kong
On July 1, 1997, after 156 years of British Colo- nial Rule, China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong. Despite the transfer from capitalism to Communist control, China promised Hong Kong would co-exist as “one country, two systems” for 50 years after China assumed power. Although the next elections are not due until 2017, the Chinese legislature instituted strict limitations on Hong Kong voting reform, which many argue violates the constitutional right for “one person, one vote.”
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In response to the strict limitations, pro-democ- racy activists have organized peaceful protests calling for “universal suffrage,” the right to vote for all adult citizens, which is guaranteed by Ar- ticle 45 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong. Activists argue that “universal suffrage” guarantees more than just the right to vote, but also the right to nominate. Conversely, Alan Hoo, an expert on the Basic Law (Hong Kong’s constitution) and a Pro- Beijing figure in Hong Kong, claims that under the international covenant, universal suffrage only in- cludes the express right to elect or be elected, but not the express right to nominate. However, the recent Hong Kong voting reforms severely limit the equal right of all persons to be elected to a government office. The reforms arguably make it virtually impossible for anyone not supported by the Chinese government to be nominated for election.
Behind the protests are Benny Tai, an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, Chu Yiu-ming, a Christian minister and veteran human rights activist, and Joshua Wong, a sev- enteen-year-old high school student and political
activist. Tai and Yiu-ming helped organize Occupy Central, a civil disobedience movement calling on protesters to paralyze Hong Kong’s financial dis- trict if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments fail to agree to the implementation of universal suffrage for the upcoming 2017 election for chief executive.
Since the peaceful protests started, they have come to be known as the “umbrella protests” and the “umbrella revolution.” They earned this label after protesters used umbrellas to defend themselves from pepper spray and tear gas dur- ing a clash with police.
Recently, pro-democracy protestors have shifted their targets to focus on the office of Hong Kong’s chief executive and could potentially moving oc- cupations inside other government buildings. Protesters decided to shift their focus to C.Y. Le- ung’s office, the current Chief Executive, in order to cause a daily disturbance in his life.
Despite rising tensions, protest organizers claim they still have not gotten an acceptable response. Instead, peaceful protests have only been met with hostility such as the use of pepper spray and tear gas along with arrests. In addition to calling for universal suffrage, protesters are also calling for Leung’s resignation, accusing him of showing favoritism for the Chinese central government rather than the people of Hong Kong.
However, despite the escalated tensions and over six weeks of protests, protest organizers and government officials have failed to make any significant progress that may bring the demon- strations to an end. The government continues to reject activist demands that voters have the right to choose Hong Kong’s next leader and maintains that the new election rules from Beijing will re- main in effect.
* Submitted by Christopher L. Bauer
ILSA Quarterly » volume 23 » issue 2 » December 2014
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