NYT/AP: Tens of Thousands Turn Out for Pro-Democracy March in Hong Kong

Tens of Thousands Turn Out for Pro-Democracy March in Hong Kong
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 4, 2005


HONG KONG (AP) -- Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday to pressure the government to speed up political reforms that would allow voters to pick the territory's leader and entire legislature.

Wearing black T-shirts, the protesters -- led by pro-democracy lawmakers -- began marching from Hong Kong's Victoria Park to the government headquarters downtown.

Organizers said the protesters filled at least six soccer fields before the march began. Hong Kong's Cable TV estimated the turnout to be around 50,000.

Demonstrators included Anson Chan, Hong Kong's former No. 2 official and a first-time marcher. Chan remains highly popular and influential despite quitting as head of the civil service in 2001. She had previously drawn fire from Beijing when she criticized the Chinese government for rejecting quick democratic reforms....

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The Hong Kong government has argued the Chinese territory is not ready for full democracy. It has urged the public to support a modest political reform package that falls far short of full democracy....


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Hong-Kong-Democracy-Protest.html

Tens of thousands march for full democracy in Hong Kong
11:52:39 EST Dec 4, 2005

HELEN LUK


HONG KONG (AP) - Pressure mounted for Hong Kong and Beijing leaders to respond to calls for full democracy in this Chinese territory as tens of thousands of protesters marched Sunday, demanding the right to pick their leaders.

Organizers said the massive protest drew 250,000 people - far exceeding analysts' forecast of between 50,000 and 100,000. But police put the turnout at 63,000.

Pro-democracy lawmakers and some protesters gathered outside the government's headquarters after the march. They demanded Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang to immediately respond to calls for a roadmap specifying when and how Hong Kong can have universal suffrage, promised as an eventual goal under the territory's mini-constitution.

"I can't think of anywhere else in the world that you can have such large number of people turning out in such a peaceful manner to ask for something which is of their own right," said Ronny Tong, a lawmaker and march organizer. "Any responsible government owe it to themselves to respond positively to what happened today."

More at...http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/051204/w120418.html

I'm proud of the Hong Kong people. Fight for democracy. :)

Reports that this city's democracy movement was dead appear to have been greatly exaggerated. An unexpected turnout of as many as 250,000 marchers here Sunday is a clear repudiation of pro-Beijing policies that would stall if not kill democratic aspirations in Hong Kong. It also speaks to the vibrancy of a grass-roots democratic awakening that had been slumbering in China's most developed commercial city. Had Sunday's turnout been low, it could have sunk the democracy movement.

The protest, which filled Hong Kong's downtown on this breezy afternoon, was sparked by a proposal that would indefinitely delay a much-desired introduction of a "one man, one vote" system. It was also fed by statements from Hong Kong tycoons that the city wasn't mature enough to govern itself.

The march was a culmination of growing polarization between popular desire for speedy democracy and the Beijing-backed government of Donald Tsang. It sets the stage for future collisions between Tsang and the democrats.

All sides were calling Dec. 4 a "crossroads." Indeed, Sunday's march may prove as significant as the July 1, 2003, march of 500,000 residents that ultimately drove Mr. Tsang's predecessor out of office and gave birth to a democracy movement centered in the legal profession.


http://csmonitor.com/2005/1205/p01s02-woap.html

it is hardly ever mentioned here, but everywhere else they have no problem reporting it. Of course I am talking about the march during the repuke convention in New York

and often causes changes in policy. Here, protesters are portrayed as nutcases.

He did with Libya. He's on a mission from God, ya know.

became Chinese property again. The Chinese kept saying, "we will allow Hong Kong to keep their rights, blah blah blah" and all the talking heads on the various sunday morning shows kept blathering on about how this was good for Hong Kong and how China will allow it to continue being a democracy because that was part of their movement towards capitalist zones. Blah blah blah.

These protests come as no surprise to me. China has been screwing with Hong Kong since they took it over. I'm just waiting for the crack down next.

I look at Hong Kong as the trial run for Taiwan.