Hong Kong prepares for ‘patriotic’ elections among protesters | Election Issues

With just a few days to go before the Hong Kong legal elections, candidates are hitting the streets of the Chinese-dominated city in search of a final vote. But locals say they have little interest in voting this time around.

One woman told Al Jazeera that most Hong Kong voters see the December 19 vote as a “choice” and not an “election”. That’s why electoral change – launched by Beijing earlier this year – means the only ones who have won the government ‘ Patriots only “ the vetting process was allowed to run.

Only three out of 153 candidates Competing in this year’s elections is known as pro-democracy, according to the South China Morning Post, which marks a major shift in the autonomous region that took place as a result of protests calling for greater democracy in 2014 and in 2019.

“What you see is what the most productive people who want,” said the citizen, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.

“No one is taking a brochure. People look at those who want to cross the street and cross the street, just as they cross a street when they see the police or the national security office. ”

Earlier in September last year, Hong Kong’s parliamentary by-elections were delayed for a year, with the government complaining of the COVID-19 epidemic. The decision to suspend the vote was followed by a series of unrest in China in a free Chinese city, mass arrests and Beijing-led protests. national security law which led to lawlessness, isolation, terrorism and alliance with foreign forces even to prison. That law has been used in the political, social, and media spheres of politics. Many of the city’s democratic politicians are now in prison or in exile.

When Hong Kong’s political rights faltered, Beijing scrutinized the city’s parliament, LegCo. The electoral reforms have redefined the divisions and reduced the number of people directly elected by the people from 35 to 20.

A further 30 seats will be nominated by expert voting organizations, and 40 seats will be selected by a committee chaired by Hong Kong pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam.

Calling

In the midst of the crisis, the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute found just that 52 percent of those surveyed is preparing to vote, which marks a 30-year decline in parliamentary elections. Many voters are expected to boycott or abstain from voting, although encouraging others to do so could lead to imprisonment.

Six people have been arrested at the moment for inciting others to boycott, according to local media, or simply posting Facebook posts about possible strikes. The government has also issued warrants for the arrest of former MPs Ted Hui and Yau Man-chun, who have called for the abolition of voting from slavery in the United Kingdom and Australia, respectively.

Even so, many view this as the only way to get even with them.

“Right now the biggest debate in Hong Kong is where people gather in a time when everything is predetermined and there is no meaningful opportunity to express your ideas; “No one can speak for itself and change the election, democracy or principles of the Law that we have been promised,” he said.

“The debate in Hong Kong right now is that if you do not vote, or go to the polls and it is the most effective option, so to speak. a successful democracy.You are giving them a chance [so they] can be attributed to a large percentage of the population. ”

Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law also described the Al Jazeera vote as a “choice”.

“It is not an election – the candidates are carefully monitored by the political police and should be supported by pro-Beijing politicians,” he said. “The number of seats reserved for the state has dropped to only 20 percent. We must not provide evidence in this election by voting. ”

New faces

The process of careful observation and suspension of the city’s pro-democracy camp means that most of the people who will stand for Sunday’s election are newcomers, whose opponents say they seem to have misunderstood issues affecting their constituencies, such as the city’s subway system. the system also works where the stations are.

“There is a lack of conflict and information between those who want it, some find it difficult to know – it seems – in their area. in Hong Kong who asked not to leave. anonymous to mention the “red lines” of the government.

But city officials say the new faces could signal the resumption of parliament in Hong Kong after the 2019 riots.

“It may seem that you do not have many of the old faces of the pro-democracy camp, but it is safe to say that now the face is one voice,” said Bernard Chan, a vice president of the organization. The National People’s Congress of China and a non-executive representative of the state executive council, however.

“I believe each state has an opponent, but does not have the same assets as the others.”

Hong Kong politician Allan Wong (L) speaks with a woman during a street campaign in Hong Kong before the by-elections on December 19. [Peter Parks/ AFP]

He added: “(Beijing) has shown that it accepts the opposition, for a long time until it adheres to the principles of Chinese law and Hong Kong law, the so-called Basic Law. They accept it. red. “

In anticipation of a slight drop, Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said it would be a sign that voters are satisfied with their government, but elsewhere Hong Kong officials have been affected by a bit of opposition. He recently warned both The Wall Street Journal and the Sunday Times of the UK that they could be found guilty of promoting anti-voting articles.

Problems with bread and butter

Even the worst journalists, Lam and his government can still have anything to gain from an unwavering vote, says Tai Wei Lim, research associate at the National University of Singapore East Asia Institute.

Lam could point out to Beijing that the city has returned to normalcy and is in love with Hong Kong people in terms of democracy, he said, such as rent breaks and economic inequality.

“From the Hong Kong Government and the Central Government on Beijing’s ideas, the stories of the bread and butter can attract the hearts and minds of the people, including the real estate and commercial real estate,” Lim said in an email.

“As a result, they expect political support from patriotism (patriotism according to their wishes) to work with professionals / government agencies to create these issues.”

The announcement of the upcoming Legislative Council General election is seen near Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, China December 1, 2021. [Lam Yik/ Reuters]

Hong Kong’s semi-democratic parliament has been running without opposition since November 2020, when 15 pro-democracy activists resigned after the government fired a number of colleagues for their political views. Their shortage means that the government has been able to develop major construction projects such as the Lantau Tomorrow Vision to create more residential areas.

Many opposition politicians are now in jail awaiting trial after a series of secret ballot elections for the presidency in November 2019. The first election was a disgrace to the Hong Kong government after attracting 600,000 voters. a sign that the city of 7.4 million people still supported democracy despite major protests failed to bring about change.

Opposition lawmakers and election officials were among 55 people arrested on January 6 this year, 47 of whom were charged with felony criminal mischief. Many have been incarcerated for delays in cases, but major disputes are expected to begin early next year, according to the Hong Kong Free Press.

Making decisions in such situations makes them stupid, says Johnny Patterson, co-founder and director of the Hong Kong Watch UK, as opponents are closed in favor of Beijing.

“It simply came to our notice then. Earlier this year, National Security police rounded up the entire democratic community and imprisoned them on national security charges, making legitimate protests illegal. “Recently, the police were threatening voters that boycotting the election is now a crime,” he said.

“The whole process reflects the political situation.”