File photo of pro-democracy activists Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai and Joshua Wong (Reuters)
Hong Kong:
Beijing’s national security law imposed on Hong Kong has drawn red lines on many aspects of life in the city, but a vanguard of young Democrats intends to shake up political order and get massive support.
Young brandons of fire rushed to big victories in several districts of Hong Kong which held primary elections for the democracy camp this weekend, overshadowing some veteran democrats.
Supported by a crowd of volunteers, several dozen so-called localists took to the streets to campaign for their first unofficial ballot to select the strongest pro-democracy candidates for the city’s legislative elections in September.
“We think the traditional way adopted by former politicians is not useful and completely useless at that time,” said Sunny Cheung, 24, who refused a chance to study for a master’s degree at the University Johns Hopkins for “resisting the evil regime”. .
Dressed in black with white sneakers while distributing flyers outside a metro station, Cheung said his generation had been spurred on by anti-government protests and had embraced “resistance”.
Localists – a term for those who do not see themselves as Chinese and focus on safeguarding the freedoms of the former British colony – tend to take a more assertive stance than traditional Democrats.
While many localists speak publicly about the resistance, they are not talking about independence for Hong Kong, which could see them fall under the new security law and face life in prison.
The Hong Kong and Macao Chinese Affairs Bureau on Tuesday condemned the weekend poll as “illegal manipulation” and “blatant defiance” of security law.
Former democracy lawmaker Au Nok-hin resigned on Wednesday as the election organizer because of Beijing’s remarks, although he repeated that the poll was legal.
According to the organizers, of the more than 610,000 people – about 8% of the city’s population – who participated in the poll – up to three-quarters of them in several districts supported the localist or “resistance” camp “
“Era Of Change”
Democrats hope to win a majority in the city’s 70-seat legislature for the first time, riding a wave of anti-Beijing sentiment.
“I hope that the new generation can respond to the roar of anger of the time and resist the Legislative Council with new methods and ideologies,” said Helena Wong, 61-year-old Democrat in office, restrained at rest. primary.
Veteran Democrats and members of the assembly such as James To, Lam Cheuk-ting, Gary Fan and Alvin Yeung have had poor results, their moderate call for democracy no longer appealing to young voters.
“I no longer trust the traditional Democrats. They have made no changes,” said one student.
Many localists are disciples of Edward Leung, a former independence activist and student of philosophy who became de facto the leader of their movement.
Leung was jailed in 2016 for six years on a riot charge.
“Edward Leung became the spiritual leader of the Hong Kongers. He inspired me and many others,” said Owen Chow, 23, who campaigned over the weekend with a speaker mounted on a BMW convertible sports car.
“We have entered an era of change.”
The security law criminalizes what Beijing defines as terrorism, secession, foreign collusion and subversion, while allowing Chinese security officials to enforce laws in the city.
Beijing and the Beijing-backed government in Hong Kong say there is a need to restore stability and preserve prosperity.
A large number of disqualifications at the opening of the candidacies on Saturday could provoke new protests, warn political analysts.
“Many contend that this is the darkest age in Hong Kong,” said Cheung.
“We can only try to do something incrementally. We don’t know which path can be 100% effective. In fact, we are not sure of anything. We have to try everything.”
(Edited by Anne Marie Roantree and Robert Birsel)
