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Millions of people have taken to the streets in Hong Kong over the past two weeks to protest a government extradition bill, which many fear could be used to deport political activists and dissidents to mainland China. An exclusive report by Amit, for Different Truths.
In China’s Hong Kong second Tiananmen square (in Beijing, China) is awaiting to happen where thousands of the protester was killed by the Communist Chinese regime, in 1989.
Critics fear the bill will undermine the independence of Hong Kong’s legal system and put Hong Kong citizens and foreign nationals at risk by allowing suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial.
However, in Hong Kong, more than a million people are protesting against a controversial extradition bill that they fear will erode freedom in the semi-autonomous territory. Hong Kong, a British colony until 1997, was handed over to China under the concept of ‘one country, two systems,’ which accorded political and legal autonomy to the city. Critics fear the bill will undermine the independence of Hong Kong’s legal system and put Hong Kong citizens and foreign nationals at risk by allowing suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. This bill is known as Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill. Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, insists the legislation is necessary to allow Hong Kong to better uphold justice and fulfill its international obligations.
A Death Knell to the Democracy
Communist China always has shown utter disregard for the people’s freedom and dissent. The Communist government has left no stone unturned to brutally suppress any dissenting voice in China and abroad- through their secret agents and political stooges.
The Communist government has left no stone unturned to brutally suppress any dissenting voice in China and abroad- through their secret agents and political stooges.
Michael DeGolyer, who has tracked the territory’s transition to mainland Chinese rule as an academic at the Baptist University of Hong Kong, said people in Hong Kong have been particularly sensitive to issues involving judicial independence, which is seen as guaranteeing a measure of protection from the government on the mainland. “This bill not only ‘erodes’ those protections; it places protection of those rights it only belatedly recognised as critically important to most Hong Kongers squarely within the hands of unelected bureaucrats who have so far manifested a rather poor record of being able or willing to resist pressure from Beijing.”
The apparent kidnap of Hong Kong booksellers critical of the mainland government, the disqualification of pro-democracy legislators from office and the jailing of leaders from the Occupy Central movement have fueled concerns that the amendments could become a tool to be used against political opponents.
Massive Protest
What began as opposition to an unpopular legal measure has now broadened into an open struggle for democracy and even self-determination. Huge anti-government marches took place on June 9 and June 16, numbering millions strong according to organizers. On June 12, police unleashed rounds of tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag pellets at thousands of protesters, who had surrounded the legislature, forcing lawmakers to scrape a debate on the extradition bill.
Protesters also occupied major government offices on June 21, including the headquarters of the tax and immigration departments, and forced the closure of the High Court. The unrest is being viewed as a stunning repudiation of the administration of the city’s top official, the Beijing-backed Carrie Lam
Protesters also occupied major government offices on June 21, including the headquarters of the tax and immigration departments, and forced the closure of the High Court. The unrest is being viewed as a stunning repudiation of the administration of the city’s top official, the Beijing-backed Carrie Lam, who has not been seen in public for several days.
In an email a Hong Konger activist (name hidden due to the security concern), who is participating in Hong Kong protest wrote to me:
Hong Kong government claims this bill would not extradite political prisoner, but the fact is that, the People’s Republic of China will not prey on their oversea target with political crime.
“In this new extradition bill, it seems to do no harm to me, I am a normal citizen of Hong Kong, but it’s not true. Hong Kong government claims this bill would not extradite political prisoner, but the fact is that, the People’s Republic of China will not prey on their oversea target with political crime. In 2015, four Hong Kong citizen and one Sweden Citizen were kidnapped by the People’s Republic of China agent. Later, they were charged with different crimes such as murder, stealing, etc. Above examples are enough to prove that, the People’s Republic of China is not stupid enough to capture their target with an obvious excuse. Right now, Chinese special agents are doing these dirty jobs under caution, if the extradition bill is passed, these agents can just follow the bill and pick whatever “reasons” they need and their “capture target” will be extradited legally as they wanted.
What Happened in the Protest?
“During the protest in 12/06/2019, Hong Kong police shoot the protestors with tear gas, plastic bullets while the protestors were unarmed. Under the watch of international media, Hong Kong police were using excessive force. To that, we are angry, I am angry. In 16/06/2019, 2 million people went to the street to protestor (Hong Kong total population is 7 million), but the Hong Kong government choose to ignore once again. For that, I have the following demand:
- Full withdrawal of the extradition bill
- Retraction of the “Riot” characterization
- Release of all arrested protestors
- Investigation of police accountability of brutality
- Resignation of Hong Kong Chef Executive”
A reader can help protestor by signing the below petition:
Since the USA has a law of <United States-Hong Kong Policy Act>, we are hoping the USA to take their part in helping Hong Kong, to save us, and to liberate us. Hong Kong is a great danger; we need all the help we can get.
Conclusion
Time has come to stop an authoritarian communist Chinese government who crush the dissent in Hong Kong. This is only possible by naming and shaming China by the World community and putting trade sanctions by the major powers of the World.
In the wake of the human rights regime, a human being is not the sole prerogative of the State, but to the World community. State’s sovereignty exists until the rights of their citizen respected and protected.
In the wake of the human rights regime, a human being is not the sole prerogative of the State, but to the World community. State’s sovereignty exists until the rights of their citizen respected and protected. In failure to protect citizen’s life, people have the right to dissent and overthrow the government.
Photos from the Internet
