Hong Kong, after the protests the government postpones examination of the extradition bill
Rights — di Andrea Barolini
Large demonstrations and strikes have convinced the Hong Kong government to defer examination of a controversial extradition bill.
Hong Kong, after the protests the government postpones examination of the extradition bill
Large demonstrations and strikes have convinced the Hong Kong government to defer examination of a controversial extradition bill.
In the end, at least for now, the will of the people appears to have prevailed. The mass demonstrations organised on Sunday 9 June in Hong Kong, with the aim of blocking a measure that would allow extradition to China, have convinced the government to suspend approval of the new bill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n4DDWog9lg
Hong Kong's executive, however, has not yet withdrawn the bill
The authorities of the semi-autonomous region announced on the morning of Wednesday the 12th that they had deferred examination of the text. The president of the Legislative Council (Hong Kong's parliament) announced in a statement that the meeting at which members were due to vote on the bill at its second reading had been postponed "to a date to be determined".
Hong Kong protest: debate on extradition bill delayed after tens of thousands of people protest – live theguardian.com/world/live/201…
A decision welcomed with satisfaction by opponents of the measure, which would in effect mean that Hong Kong residents could be subjected to the Chinese judicial system, considered too politicised. The concern relates above all to the risks that could be faced by people who have previously expressed their hostility towards the government of Beijing. For this reason, a number of Hong Kong lawyers and judges, though under cover of anonymity, have also decided to come out against the proposal.
Hong Kong is calling for a citywide strike tomo to protest against the extradition bill 2nd reading. This is, again, the first in HK since 30 yrs ago when Tiananmen crackdown happened. The fear of the end of One Country, Two Systems is imminent #NoExtraditionToChina
The fate of the legislative process, however, has not yet been decided. Carrie Lam, who leads the local government, has continued to rule out the possibility of withdrawing the bill. Indeed, she has pointed out that it would allow a regulatory gap to be filled. And she has made clear that if "radical actions" are organised by the population, the authorities will respond accordingly.
Strikes and unrest announced in defence of the "one country, two systems" principle
But the protest over extradition in fact stems from a broader sense of discontent. Under the agreement reached between the United Kingdom and China in 1984, which laid the groundwork for the transfer of sovereignty carried out in 1997 in favour of Beijing, the former British colony was to maintain its semi-autonomy for 50 years — that is, until 2047.
#Breaking
8am in #HongKong - hundreds of not thousands of protesters occupied Lung Wo Road outside Legco complex, 3 hours before the second reading of the controversial #ExtraditionLaw. Massive strike going on today.
8am in #HongKong - hundreds of not thousands of protesters occupied Lung Wo Road outside Legco complex, 3 hours before the second reading of the controversial #ExtraditionLaw. Massive strike going on today.
However, a large part of the population has long been denouncing what it considers excessive interference by the Chinese government, and the fact that the "one country, two systems" principle is no longer being respected. For this reason, numerous businesses and shops announced their closure on Wednesday, as a show of solidarity with those opposed to the extradition bill.
Similarly, the main student unions called on people not to attend schools and universities. Buses will run at reduced speed. And teachers and nurses have also announced industrial action. All of this in a territory where strikes are fairly rare. It remains to be seen whether the Lam government will back down or not.