Police officers arrest an anti-occupy protester (centre) in the
Admiralty district of Hong Kong on October 13, 2014. Dozens of masked
men rushed barricades at Hong Kong's main pro-democracy site, triggering
clashes as demonstrators tried to push them back and police struggled
to contain the chaos. PHOTO | AFP
Hong Kong is at
the centre of pro-democracy protests pitting young citizens against
their local administration and the central government of China.
The
‘Occupy Central Movement’ — mainly roping in pliable students — has
staged a civil disobedience campaign reminiscent of others witnessed
elsewhere in recent years.
This movement calls on
protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong’s financial district if
its government and the central government do not agree to implement
universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election in 2017.
The
other bone of contention is the Legislative Council elections scheduled
for 2020 which they demand should be conducted according to
“international standards”.
Hong Kong is not the first,
nor will it be the last to stage pro-democracy protests. In fact, most
African countries are rather familiar with the type of manufactured
upsurge now panning out in Hong Kong.
Those who have
borne the brunt of the actions of protesters egged on by architects of
synthetic dissidence know what a mixed bag of dire outcomes to expect.
After
the infamous Arab Spring in parts of North Africa and the Middle East,
there is a realisation that democracy can, particularly if propagated in
the streets with fanfare, go completely rogue.
Recent
examples of disturbances choreographed by seekers of power through the
back door – and especially when staged in unfounded defiance and
disregard of local institutions and procedure – do not always lead to
the promised utopia.
As things stand, it is becoming
increasingly clear that most pro-democracy movements are actually
Western-instigated attempts to sabotage interests that don’t support
their parochial quests, particularly, cut-throat commercial schemes.
Deceptive ruses
Uncannily,
most, if not all, pro-democracy movements of recent days are founded on
the disregard for laws and other tested instruments of conflict
resolution.
These movements tend to shun dialogue.
Instead they prefer highly deceptive ruses masterfully woven to conceal
fierce ambition for power.
It is, however, not too
late for the Hong Kong protesters to realise that their best of
interests lie in Beijing, rather than in shadowy elements hell-bent on
sabotaging their economic prosperity.
No system of
governance is perfect the world over. Neither is there, really, a
universal yardstick for democracy. Critical to any system of government
is the need for a system that works and one that guarantees safety,
dignity and opportunities for personal and collective prosperity.
What
Africa has painfully learnt is that the promise of Western-style
democracy offers little room for economic liberation. Even when voting
rights have been granted, these rights could deprive the people of their
rights to economic and political equality.
Hong Kong
protesters should, therefore, reassess their priorities and engage in
constructive dialogue with Beijing. This is where their best bet lies to
secure their interests.
Hong Kong is an integral part
of China and its prosperity is Beijing’s prosperity and vice versa. The
central government’s policy towards Hong Kong since its return 17 years
ago has consistently been based on the ‘one country, two systems’
principle.
In terms of political support, Beijing has
granted Hong Kong autonomy based on trust and faith in its ability to
manage its affairs responsibly, effectively and for the good of all.
Mr Hassan is a programme officer, North Eastern Pastoralist Forum, Garissa
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