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 With crowds likely to swell at the weekend, student leaders late
on Thursday announced a plan for an electronic poll of protesters on
reform proposals tabled by senior city government officials in talks
on Tuesday that failed to break the deadlock.
"The government always says that the students don't represent the
people in the plaza and Hong Kong citizens, so we are here to make
all our voices heard and we will tell the government clearly what we
think," Alex Chow, one of the students guiding the movement, told
protesters late on Thursday.
Demonstrators would be asked whether the government's offer to
submit a report to China's State Council, or cabinet, on the Occupy
protests that have roiled Hong Kong, would have any practical
purpose, with a bid to collating these responses to strengthen their
bargaining position.
Friday marks the start of the fifth week since tens of thousands
began blocking major roads to oppose to a plan by the Chinese
central government to let Hong Kong people vote for their leader in
2017 for the first time but limit candidates to those vetted by a
panel stacked with Beijing loyalists.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee on Thursday gave a boost
to the protest movement by calling on China to ensure universal
suffrage in Hong Kong, including the right to stand for election as
well as the right to vote. Committee members voiced concerns about
the right to stand without unreasonable restrictions, chiming with
protester demands for civil nominations for the 2017 poll.
A chasm exists between the government and the protesters who have
been calling for open nominations in 2017 and for the current
leader, Leung Chun-ying, to step down. The government branded the
movement's occupation of streets illegal and has repeatedly said
open nominations are not allowed under the laws of the former
British colony.
The talks on Tuesday marked a shift in the government's approach
from stonewalling to dialogue, although expectations for a
breakthrough had been low.
The poll to be held on Sunday would be the first potentially
constructive response from the protesters after the student leaders
emerged from the talks disappointed. They planned to hand the
results to the government on Monday.
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The poll will also seek views on the establishment of a platform for
dialogue on constitutional development, and whether it should come
into effect before 2017 as student leaders want.
"I am ready to vote any time. My demands have never changed but my
expectations from the government have been lowered," said Lau Wah, a
21-year-old protester helping manning a provisions station amid a
sea of tents at a major protest site.
Protesters would register for the poll, which would be restricted to
occupied areas, with their phone number and Hong Kong identity card.
"We will use these figures to bargain with the government on Monday.
We will be able to better represent the people and take the
initiative on behalf of them," said Benny Tai, a law professor and
one of the organisers of the "Occupy" movement.
A massive yellow banner with an umbrella symbolising the people's
movement and calling for "real universal suffrage" was hung from the
iconic Lion Rock mountain on Thursday by a group of climbing
enthusiasts, in a prominent symbol of the movement that could be
clearly seen from the city below.
(Writing by John Ruwitch; Editing by James Pomfret and Raju
Gopalakrishnan)
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