Monday, September 29, 2014
Week 4 - Hong Kong
There is some serious protesting going on right now in my ol' neighbourhood. I know people involved in this. Watch the youtube clip as well. Comment on this event. First to post owns the who, what, when, where, how, why explanation. Next posters have a more difficult task of getting into the geopolitics and end up focussing on the how and why - which is always where issues develop. Remember to link to sources ALWAYS.
youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDJ4ALqLBN4
Photo: Time Mag
https://time.com/3444164/hong-kongs-protesters-are-fighting-for-their-economic-future/
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ReplyDeleteThis is my weekly post:
ReplyDeleteOver the past few days, over 10,000 pro-democratic Hong Kongers (including many students and others angered by the police's reaction to the protest) have been peacefully protesting in central Hong Kong following Beijing's decision from August 31, 2014 (1) to rule out a fully democratic election for 2017 (3). In the 2017 elections, the people of Hong Kong will be allowed to elect their new leader, however; the candidates will be a select few that have been approved by a "pro-Beijing committee" (1). The people of Hong Kong are "demanding their constitutional right to universal suffrage" (2).
These protests quickly turned violent as riot police and other reinforcements started pepper-spraying and tear-gassing these protesters. The Hong Kong hospital has states that at least 41 people have been injured since the beginning of this protest (4). The police are attempting to remove these people from the streets and in some cases have circled around certain groups of protesters until they eventually disperse from the area. The protesters crowd the streets of central Hong Kong at night and then slowly file out in the morning to go to work and take care of household chores etc (1) therefore most of this violence occurs at night time. These people show up wearing protective clothing such as goggles and ponchos in case the police attempt to pepper spray them (3) which, in many instances, has occurred throughout. There have been several videos and photos of this violence being posted on social media sites in hopes that this message will spread world-wide. As the videos and photos shared to one site in particular (Instagram) have become quite plentiful, China has made this site unavailable for it's people to use (2).
Personally, I believe that with any protest that you hear about in the news, including the protest in Ferguson, police brutality is always present. The people of Hong Kong have actually started using the same "hands up, don't shoot" gesture as those in Ferguson used. Many people have described the Hong Kong police's actions as "an unprecedented level of force against the demonstrations" (5). Big changes are happening in the world today and this course has helped open my eyes to that. Although some protesters have stated that they in fact had not heard of the events in Ferguson (5), it still has an effect on the world today and I know from my perspective it's a pretty breath-taking sight to see these pictures from Hong Kong match almost identically with those of Ferguson. "It's fascinating to see a symbol of the fight against racism and police violence in America become a symbol of democracy and freedom halfway around the world, however it got there" (5).
1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-29420802
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDJ4ALqLBN4
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iF2I78H2sw
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKk8579S8JA
5. http://www.vox.com/2014/9/28/6860493/hong-kong-protests-mike-brown-ferguson
Wow Avery, this really cleared everything up that I didn't know about what's happening in Hong-Kong. Protesters should not have to be brutalised for standing up to something they believe is unjust and what to change. What do you think can be done to keep these protests peaceful? Should the police try different tactics, or is this method the only possible way?
DeleteHong Kong was originally apart of Britten but in 1997 was handed back over to China after an agreement during 1984 with China and Britten. Moving forward China would use the one country two systems law so that the city of Hong Kong would have a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defense affairs for 50 years. (1) Now proceeding Hong Kong has its own legal system, which include freedom of speech and assembly. So how has all of this changed? By 2017 the Chinese government have promised direct elections. By August 2014 China's top legislative committee ruled that voters would only have a choice from a list of two or three candidates selected by a nominating committee. (1) Hong Kong now believes that China will use this committee to not elect whom they disapprove of.
ReplyDeleteThe protests aroused in Hong Kong but the weren’t very pleasant. The citizens of Hong Kong all grabbed an umbrella to walk the streets of Hong Kong. They did not grab an umbrella to hide from the rain or wind; they grabbed an umbrella to hide from the tear gas that was being sprayed at by the police officers. (2) From this awful offense the Hong Kong people now made the “ Umbrella Revolution”. The umbrella revolution symbolize Hong Kong’s dissent is as fitting as it is improbable. (2) The umbrellas were also used as weapons to defend off the police officers.
I personally think that protest are going to happen everyday, all around the world, so why does there always have to be such violence with the police force. This is the second post I’ve written about that has to do with over violent police officers. Is it really necessary to gas innocent people because they are trying to fight for their freedom? Our world is changing everyday, some for the good but some for the bad. Looking through all those pictures of Hong Kong really opens my eyes to what some people and some countries have to deal with. They are innocent people fighting for freedom and I think they should be heard, not gassed.
Source one: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-27921954
Source two: http://time.com/3453736/hong-kong-stands-up/
This is my weekly post...
ReplyDeleteOver the past week there has been a peaceful protest going on in the streets on Hong Kong. These people are fighting for a chance to vote on their next chief executive, however on a more broad scale they are fighting for democracy. These peaceful protests are turning into violent assaults by the police, and anti protesters in Hong Kong. (1) The citizens were told they would be allowed to vote on their next chief executive in 2017 however what sparked the protests, was the news that the election committee will pre-approve candidates from which the residents will choose from, and then that person will still have to be appointed by the Chinese government. (2) The people of Hong Kong want people around the world to see what is going on, they have posted pictures and video of police brutality in action on various social networking websites like instagram and twitter. These websites are starting to get banned by the government. (3)
Now anti-protesters are flooding streets trying to stop the current protesters. These people are the ones using force and have been accused of receiving money from the government to try to get the protesters to leave. These accusations have been denied by the government. (1) There has also been a number of people walking the streets with blue ribbons, to support the police. Many of these people are retired police officers. (1) The next issue that arises and scares the citizens of Hong Kong is the possibility of soldiers occupying the area. (4) At the current time, the protests are much at a standstill, the police has seemed to taken a hands off approach for the last couple of days (4) however the protesters have been making barricades around occupied areas to protect themselves. There are many protesters who truly believe that the government will react responsibly, and who believe the protests can end peacefully, and not in bloodshed. (4) This issue is much like what we have seen in recent years in Toronto for the G20 summit, and also for the recent protests and riots on Ferguson.
What will this mean for the economy in Hong Kong? Well, if the protests continue long term, which is a possibility at this point, then it will hit the tourism and retail industries of Hong Kong hard. (5) That alone make up 10% of the territory’s gross domestic product, according to estimates from London-based Capital Economics. Capital Economics’ writer Gareth Leather has said that these sectors are, “badly affected, as tourists stayed away. Business confidence would also take a dive. With its economy having contracted last quarter, Hong Kong could easily be pushed into recession.” (5) So without a doubt this will have a huge impact on the economy for Hong Kong, especially if the government turns to special armed police forces or even the army, then it will surly have an impact beyond the borders of Hong Kong, and negatively affect China's economy as a whole. This will be very interesting to see how this situation will progress.
Sources:
1. http://time.com/3462996/occupy-hong-kong-central-democracy-blue-ribbon-anti-protest/
2. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hong-kong-protests-5-things-to-know-about-the-umbrella-revolution-1.2781208
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDJ4ALqLBN4
4. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-30/hong-kongs-protesters-watch-and-wait
5. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-30/hong-kong-protests-trigger-new-worries-for-chinas-economy
I think there is nothing wrong with protesting, you are making a statement, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Protesting can be peaceful and help make world decisions but most protests usually turn violent, like this one. When protests get violent, I think there is two sides to it, in a protest the protesters or the police get violent, sometimes both. Very few protests have gone on without a violent riot starting. I'm not saying anything about protesting but, protesters need to follow laws more or the police need to stop cracking heads and start cracking into the protesters demands in a peaceful way. Police do not need to get involved in protests unless, it gets violent.
ReplyDeleteI agree that protestors need to obey the law and keep it peaceful. I think an issue is to make sure that both sides remain peaceful in protest. Usually it's started by one side but both sides fight and it's more a civil battle then a protest. Is there a way that peaceful protests are insured from both sides or at least some steps that can be taken to prevent small wars?
DeletePersonally I think that these people, along with many other groups of protestors around the world, are simply stating that they are unsatisfied with the way they are being treated (righfully so if you ask me). But then come along the police that feel they have something to prove and they feel that they need to show their dominance and remind the public that they are the authority figures. Don't get me wrong, police can be great and save lives and so on, but I think a lot of people put that badge on just to feel a sense of power over a large group of people. It's those kinds of police officers that become violent when opposed and then situations like this occur.
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ReplyDeleteThis is my weekly post
ReplyDeleteParallels between the Hong Kong Protests and Tiananmen Square
On August 31st, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee proposed limitations to voting and democratic reforms in Hong Kong. The committee gave itself power to approve electoral candidates, ensuring Beijing’s influence on Hong Kong’s government; these events sparked the protests for universal suffrage that have taken place in Hong Kong since late September. This movement, referred to as both the 2014 Hong Kong protests and the Umbrella Revolution (1), is reminiscent of the Tiananmen Square protests, which infamously ended in a massacre at the hands of the Chinese government that left hundreds, if not thousands, dead or wounded. Drawing parallels between the two events is unavoidable, begging the question; will the protest in Hong Kong end in violence, just as the events in Tiananmen did?
Both movements were started by idealistic students in the hearts of large Chinese cities, calling for a more democratic government. Rather than being rowdy, both sets of protesters had a polite and stoic air about them (). Both groups targeted prominent government leaders (in 1989, they focused on Prime Minister Li Peng while in Hong Kong, the focus is on the city’s chief executive, Leung Chun-Ying). In both situations, Chinese media outlets, most notably The People’s Daily, criticized the protests. In 1989, the state-owned newspaper published a vituperative editorial, criticizing the actions of the protestors, writing that tolerance of the “disturbance” would result in “a seriously chaotic state” (2). Following the publication of that article, 100,000 more people flocked to Tiananmen Square to take part in the protests (1). More recently, the People’s Daily released and article warning that Hong Kong would “fall into chaos” if the protests were not dealt with, blaming them for hindering the city’s prosperity (3).
Although the events and sentiments in Hong Kong seem to eerily echo those in Tiananmen, I do not believe that the Hong Kong protests will end with a deadly crackdown. There are many important differences between the two events. One of them is that Hong Kong has different laws than the Chinese mainland, despite technically being a part of China. Under a mini-constitution called the “Basic Law”, Hong Kongers are guaranteed freedom of speech, assembly and religion, rights that the students in Tiananmen never had (4). Another critical difference is the role of technology and social media. Although the Chinese government has blocked some social media sites (5), it is much harder to hide the events in Hong Kong from the world as is evidenced by the fact that many protesters have found ways around the ban. Any violence would also have financial ramifications; China’s economy has globalized, and Hong Kong has become China’s economic window to the rest of the world. A crackdown could affect global markets and be detrimental to China’s economy. The reality is that, even though it is unlikely that the Umbrella Revolution will result in violence, it is imperative that the rest of the world takes these events seriously, and stands with the students in Hong Kong in their fight for a more fair and democratic China.
1. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hong-kong-protests/analysis-will-hong-kong-protests-end-tiananmen-square-did-n217376
2. http://www.tsquare.tv/chronology/April26ed.html
3. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/n/2014/1005/c90882-8790947.html
4. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/world/asia/hong-kong-and-tiananmen-protests-have-major-differences.html?_r=0
5. http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/hong-kong-protests-instagram-and-other-social-media-blocked-in-mainland-china/story-fn5j66db-1227075649941
6. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29454326
7. http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/05/world/asia/china-hong-kong-protests/
8. http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/15/world/asia/tiananmen-square-fast-facts/
This is my weekly post:
ReplyDeleteMost people know the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" and most people would agree that in some cases this is very true. In the situation with Hong Kong I think it is safe to say that this phrase is very relate-able.
China is a very conscious country. They are concerned with how the world sees them, and one of the main ways that they control the image the world sees is by controlling their media (1). Not just traditional media, such as newspapers or TV, but also social media as well. with all that is going on against China and its stability, the media coverage and the control the Chinese government has, has grown (2). Within its borders, no images of the protests have been allowed to be shown (3). Only controlled readings of statements read by TV hosts have given those in China a glimpse into what is happening. On top of that the government has seized control of the internet, shutting it down (4). With all this control, a lot of what what we are getting from the area of Hong Kong is pictures, and these pictures tell a lot. China's control has lead to, at least in my opinion, Its citizens and reporters finding other ways to tell the story and that has been with images. This has been happening for years with other major conflicts in China. Even in the Tienanmen Square conflict, most people will recognize the impactful images more than even the name 'Tienanmen'. In cases like this, the pictures are speaking very loudly. The images that we are seeing are more articulate than words. They can show just how peaceful these people are protesting (5) while others show the abuse the protesters are getting from police (6). They can attest to the enormity and resolute power of the masses resolved to stay put in the face of brutality and others show the reaction of a scared and frustrated government trying to keep theses people under their control.
This use of photography tells a more impactful story than a report could and it is something that the Chinese government is having a hard time tracking down. Since posts on what is going on have been being deleted and users are finding even private chats invaded. Those trying to show what is going on are "converting words into images to avoid having search-able test that can easily be caught by censors" (3). This way of telling a story and getting the messages across has been used brilliantly by those in China and Hong Kong throughout their history even in the face of an Communist government.
1)http://www.cfr.org/china/media-censorship-china/p11515
2)http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/jan/13/censorship-china
3)http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/images-hong-kong-protests-chinas-media-25869848
4)http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_26637916/images-kept-from-china-media
5)http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/05/hong-kong-protests/16756933/
6)http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/05/hong-kong-protests/16756933/