Hong Kong's Leader, Carrie Lam, Pulls Extradition Bill That Ignited Protests
Source: New York Times
HONG KONG Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs chief executive, said Wednesday she was withdrawing a contentious extradition bill that set off months of protests in the city, moving to quell the worst political crisis since the former British colony returned to Chinese control 22 years ago.
The move eliminates the major objection among protesters, but it was unclear if it would be enough to bring an end to intensifying demonstrations, which are now driven by multiple grievances with the government.
Mrs. Lam suspended the bill in June and later said that it was dead, but demonstrators have long been suspicious of her governments refusal to formally withdraw the bill and feared it could be revived at a later date.
Withdrawal of the bill, which would allow extradition to mainland China, has remained at the top of the list of protesters demands. But the list has grown to include an independent investigation into the police response, amnesty for arrested protesters and direct elections for all lawmakers and the chief executive.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/04/world/asia/hong-kong-carrie-lam-protests.html
Originally-posted WaPo story -
By Shibani Mahtani and
Timothy McLaughlin
September 4 at 5:58 AM
BREAKING NEWS: In a video address, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced a full withdrawal of the extradition bill that has sparked months of sometimes violent arrests on city streets to fully allay public concerns. Protests erupted in June in this semiautonomous city after Lam put forward a bill allowing people to be extradited to the mainland to be tried by the justice system there.
This story will be updated.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hong-kong-leader-expected-to-fully-withdraw-extradition-bill-a-demand-of-protesters/2019/09/04/b3ca1dec-cee0-11e9-87fa-8501a456c003_story.html
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,775 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)B Stieg
(2,410 posts)What is China saying about this move?
pangaia
(24,324 posts)More or less, a tactical, temporary retreat.
The other demands from the protesters are still out there and equally as important.
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)I knew there must be something I was missing. I do NOT trust them, ever!
pangaia
(24,324 posts)They travel the world enough and know damn well what is going on.
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)since the media spins so much. I usually rely on Jonathan Pie's sarcastic rants to try to figure it out since he seems more honest some how.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)They are gangsters, just like trump. If they give in, they believe it shows weakness. Then what happens..jeeze Guangzhou and Shenzhen suddenly want more autonomy. And those two cities, especially Guangzhou, as different as they are although very close, have maybe more leaway than anywhere else. Oh my, then where- Chengdu, Kunming so far away... see the problem?
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)Can't blame them really. The US did the same with Communism.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)leaders, murders, when the rubber really meats the road, albeit very, very smart for the most part.
They are authoritarians, of course..
But they also have made huge strides in improving conditions for the Chinese population.. And they understand the danger of climate change, despite the still functioning coal plants.
Trump is just as much a vicious authoritarian as they are, just fucking stupid....
And you know-- the republican party is exactly the same...less the concern about improving anything except their own power and wealth..
BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)Unfortunately, not many see it that way due to years of hearing they are the evil ones when the GOP does the same thing on many levels for a long time.
Ligyron
(7,592 posts)Putting their bodies on the line in support of what is right while we can't even get most people here to vote.
There was a time back when I was younger when we did openly confront tyranny; and often to good effect. More than a few of us got arrested, a fewer number were beaten and some in the support of voting rights for all Americans were killed.
I'm old now but I'd hit the streets again for the right cause although I'm not organizing anything this time.
Hotler
(11,353 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)WE THE PEOPLE march/protest Sept 21st!
https://wethepeoplemarch.org/solidarity-marches/
Over 50 marches have been planned across the US and world. Check out the link to find one near you. Ten more have been added in the past two days so keep checking.
There is plenty of time to plan and arrange schedules to attend. Spread the word. RESIST!
"Mission Statement
We the People are marching to be seen and heard. We are marching to remind our elected officials that they work for us. We are marching because the current regime is a threat to our democracy and values. We are marching to demand accountability. Silence and inaction are complicity."
https://wethepeoplemarch.org/dc-march/
Hotler
(11,353 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,430 posts)and you will see it posted there too. I always post protests there when I find out about them, as well as under General Disc.