Tens of thousands in Hong Kong are expected to join an annual pro-democracy march today amid growing tensions inside the territory’s opposition camp over the pace of political reform.
Some politicians fear it will be a “very chaotic” July 1 protest — with campaigners directing their anger not only at the government, but the formerly uncompromising Democratic Party, which recently changed course and is now willing to negotiate with Beijing.
“I think there are bound to be people who are angry and frustrated with the Democratic Party at the rally,” outspoken lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung (梁國雄) told reporters.
Raymond Wong (黃毓民), Leung’s colleague in the pro-democratic League of Social Democrats, said that they would not encourage supporters to clash with the Democratic Party, but added “we can’t guarantee anything.”
“I expect the July 1 march will be very chaotic. The Communist Party will be very happy,” Wong said.
The march, which takes place on the anniversary of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from colonial power Britain to China, has become an annual opportunity for campaigners to show the strength of opposition to Beijing and the local authorities.
However, last week’s passage of a package of political reforms that promise an incremental boost to democracy — but not one person, one vote — has split the opposition camp.
Radicals, who have campaigned for a firm blueprint for universal suffrage for the territory of 7 million people, have condemned the Democratic Party for voting in favor of the package and giving up on their fight for universal suffrage for Hong Kong in 2012.
Legislative Council member Audrey Eu (余若薇) called for unity, but said she expected that people frustrated with the rift between opposition parties may shun the march this year.
“This July 1 march is of particular significance because it’s been said that the democracy [camp] is at a low ebb,” Eu told a press conference. “So it’s all the more important for Hong Kong to show we want real universal suffrage. That doesn’t belong to one party but to all Hong Kong people.”
Democratic Party lawmakers were last week mobbed by a large crowd of activists, who accused them of betraying Hong Kong people by kowtowing to Beijing.
To minimize disruption to today’s rally, organizers said they would place members of the party at the end of the march.
Democratic Party Chairman Albert Ho (何俊仁) said that he was prepared for a bad reception.
“There may be people who point fingers at us,” he said. “But I don’t think it will turn into personal conflicts or physical confrontation ... I am very confident it will be a peaceful and orderly demonstration.”
A record 500,000 people took part in the 2003 march, galvanized by an economic downturn and hostility toward then-chief executive Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) and his proposed national security bill.
The unexpected show of people power saw the security legislation shelved and was a key factor in Tung’s resignation the following year.
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