WEEK7-What Is Hong Kong’s Occupy Central Movement?

By BBC, www.bbc.com
September 23rd, 2014

Many in Hong Kong are angered at the lack of fully democratic elections.

Tensions are high in Hong Kong amid a row about how the city’s leader should be elected.

Elections are due in 2017 – but the Chinese government has issued a ruling limiting who can stand as a candidate. Democracy campaigners are planning to occupy the city’s business district in protest – a move denounced by China. The BBC explains the movement.

What does Occupy Central want?

Occupy Central with Love and Peace, known as Occupy Central, is a civil disobedience movement proposed by democracy activists in Hong Kong.

The campaigners want political reform and democratic elections that meet international standards.

They are planning a non-violent occupation of the business district, Central, in response to the Chinese government’s ruling against open elections in 2017.

They have said they can mobilise 10,000 in the first phase of the sit-in.

The campaign takes its name from the US’s Occupy Wall Street movement against social inequality in 2011.

Hong Kong is under Chinese rule – can protests realistically make a difference?

A controversial national security law proposed by the government was dropped after large protests in 2003

Even the movement’s organisers admit that Occupy Central is highly unlikely to sway the Chinese government.

However, public protests play an important role in Hong Kong. Locals have free speech and the right to protest, but cannot directly elect their government. Many see taking to the streets as their way of forcing change.

Some demonstrations have succeeded. A controversial national security law known as Article 23 was proposed in 2002, but dropped after large protests. The government also backed down over “patriotic education” classes following rallies against the move.

Occupy Central’s demands, however, are more sensitive. Demanding full democracy would radically change how Hong Kong is governed, and Beijing would view it as a direct challenge to its own authority.

Structure of the lead:

Who-many people

When- not given

What- angered at the lack of fully democratic elections

Where-in Hong Kong

How-not given

Why-not given

Words:

1.      democratic election 普選

2.      mobilize  動員