Read on Twitter
The crisis in Hong Kong, what you need to know and what you can do to help, a thread.
In 2019 the people of Hong Kong begun mass protests against the Chinese move to extradite Hong Kong prisoners to mainland China. The people said it would undermine their own judicial system, and allow the Chinese government to crack down on dissidents. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-47810723
The bill was withdrawn, however this sparked a larger movement, one that has been growing in Hong Kong ever since the British exchange to China in 1999. The movement of freedom. Freedom of Press, thought, speech, religion and much more.
Since 2012, and even before, the Chinese government has taken over the education of Hong Kong, and implemented curriculum that is brainwashing; in hopes to make Hong Kong more politically, and morally aligned with the CCP
https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-development/doc-reports/guide-basic-edu-curriculum/BECG_2014_en.pdf https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-china-protest/hong-kong-protesters-oppose-propaganda-education-plan-idUSBRE86S07820120729
https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/curriculum-development/doc-reports/guide-basic-edu-curriculum/BECG_2014_en.pdf https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-china-protest/hong-kong-protesters-oppose-propaganda-education-plan-idUSBRE86S07820120729
Aside from a slow integration, the Chinese government has also been abducting political dissidents; those who have protested against the Chinese government, and those - even before the protests - who have written against the government. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/15/this-may-be-chinas-worst-assault-yet-rule-law-hong-kong/
You are free to read the Chinese version of these abductions, however you will notice that little is actually written on it. As always you are free to form your own opinions: https://www.scmp.com/topics/hong-kong-bookseller-disappearances
It is necessary to state this: Hong Kong does have various nominal freedoms, that is why they are allowed to protest, and speak out against the government. However, as shown above, that is being cracked down upon. This is what facilitated further protests.
What of democracy in Hong Kong? The Hong Kong legislature is split in half; half of the legislature is appointed by Beijing (including the head of the legislature), and the other half is elected. Of course, the other half is an amalgamation of various parties, which ensures -
Beijing dominance. This being said, during the elections in 2019 Hong Kong saw one of it's highest turn outs, and every pro-democracy party saw a rise in seats, and the only pro-Beijing party lost nearly every electable seat:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Hong_Kong_local_elections#Results
https://www.elections.gov.hk/dc2019/eng/turnout.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Hong_Kong_local_elections#Results
https://www.elections.gov.hk/dc2019/eng/turnout.html
So why do the people of Hong Kong want independence so badly? China is not a desirable country to live in if you want basic human freedoms. I want to do a thread on each one of these subjects later, but I will briefly cover some of the most fundamental issues here:
Freedom of Religion: It is inconsistent. Some religious groups are cracked down upon, some are nominally allowed to be active - however they cannot have any connections with any outside churches. E.g. the Catholic church in China has no connection to the Papacy, sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2019/04/20/is-china-conducting-a-crackdown-on-religion/#400ee8ed19d3
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6425177.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6425177.stm
Of course there is the issue with Xinjiang, where Uighur Muslims are being forcefully colonized by the Chinese government; replacing their culture, and eradicating their religion: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50511063 https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/26/asia/china-xinjiang-leaks-analysis-intl-hnk/index.html
Aside from these areas, Tibet, Mongolia, and various other peripheral states are under-going the same treatment: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1999/02/tibet-through-chinese-eyes/306395/
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/world/asia/25tibet.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20131215-how-china-portrays-its-minorities
If you are a minority in China you will be culturally integrated by the government.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/world/asia/25tibet.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20131215-how-china-portrays-its-minorities
If you are a minority in China you will be culturally integrated by the government.
Freedom of Press, or media, is non-existent. Everything you see and hear in mainland China is controlled through the CCP. https://web.archive.org/web/20070313020226/http://hrichina.org/public/contents/article?revision_id=29582&item_id=29576
China will control every aspect of your life, and brainwash you to adhere to its dogma. The people of Hong Kong do not want this; this is why they waited for hours to vote in the 2019 elections; and why pro-democracy camps all rose in popularity.
That being said, a war of disinformation is being broadcasted by the Chinese government; both over foreign waves and otherwise, to clamp down and bring about uniformity over issues in Hong Kong: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/13/world/asia/hong-kong-protests-china.html
China is afraid to clamp down too hard, however. They do not want another Tiananmen square, nor do they want to incite more revolts. What they want is a quiet integration with no fuss. https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/29/20835183/hong-kong-protests-china-repression-tiananmen-square-beijing-response
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/25/china-issues-warning-over-hong-kong-after-election-blow
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/here-s-what-china-is-telling-its-people-about-hong-kong-protests-1.1347093 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hong-kong-fears-pro-china-brainwashing-in-education-1.1296013
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/25/china-issues-warning-over-hong-kong-after-election-blow
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/here-s-what-china-is-telling-its-people-about-hong-kong-protests-1.1347093 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hong-kong-fears-pro-china-brainwashing-in-education-1.1296013
The best-case scenario for Beijing is that this ordeal dies down; which it is with the COVID outbreak. That protests stop, and the education programs take root into the children of Hong Kong. Naturally this cannot happen. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/20/hong-kong-police-seize-10m-in-donations-intended-for-protesters
What can you do to help the people of Hong Kong? Simple. 1. Support, and put pressure, on politicians to move on this issue
2. Donate to various Pro-democracy organizations in Hong Kong
3. Keep others aware of what is happening
4. Join human rights clubs.
Links:
2. Donate to various Pro-democracy organizations in Hong Kong
3. Keep others aware of what is happening
4. Join human rights clubs.
Links:
https://www.change.org/p/international-court-of-justice-request-international-court-of-justice-to-investigate-excessive-force-of-hong-kong-police
https://www.change.org/p/hong-kong-people-
https://www.change.org/p/condemn-hong-kong-police-for-excessive-force-against-citizens-call-for-independent-inquiry
https://www.change.org/p/please-help-support-unity-in-hong-kong-by-asking-legco-to-offer-amnesty-for-all-july-1st-2019-legco-protesters-
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhBJ2VOGn0psuHEAhnduS1y_f5i3AETvLyU4KG3npw13lvoA/viewform
https://www.change.org/p/organisation-for-the-prohibition-of-chemical-weapons-call-for-opcw-to-regulate-domestic-use-of-riot-control-agents
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/ask-international-olympics-commission-corporate-sponsors-relocate-or-cancel-beijing-2022-winter-olympics
https://hkprotect.org (protect gear for protestors) https://qz.com/1666181/hong-kong-protesters-crowdfund-legal-and-medical-fees/
https://www.change.org/p/hong-kong-people-
https://www.change.org/p/condemn-hong-kong-police-for-excessive-force-against-citizens-call-for-independent-inquiry
https://www.change.org/p/please-help-support-unity-in-hong-kong-by-asking-legco-to-offer-amnesty-for-all-july-1st-2019-legco-protesters-
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhBJ2VOGn0psuHEAhnduS1y_f5i3AETvLyU4KG3npw13lvoA/viewform
https://www.change.org/p/organisation-for-the-prohibition-of-chemical-weapons-call-for-opcw-to-regulate-domestic-use-of-riot-control-agents
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/ask-international-olympics-commission-corporate-sponsors-relocate-or-cancel-beijing-2022-winter-olympics
https://hkprotect.org (protect gear for protestors) https://qz.com/1666181/hong-kong-protesters-crowdfund-legal-and-medical-fees/
Do research into your politicians and see where they stand on the issue. Marco Rubio, for example - and although I disagree with a lot of his economic platform - has pushed for various bills to support Hong Kong. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/world/asia/senate-bill-hong-kong-protests.html
These politicians need to be pressed if anything else is to be done. The sacrifices that have been made in the name of basic human freedom and democracy cannot be silenced.
I will leave you with this video. I encourage you to take your time and simply look through other videos online of the protestors in Hong Kong. As always, I suggest you look at a plethora of sources - not all listed here - on the protests.
