'No democracy' in HK reform paper
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
THE Hong Kong government was yesterday accused of trying to delay democracy in the former British colony.
It prepared to release a consultation paper on political reform that includes no model for universal suffrage.
The government has confirmed the paper that will launch a three-month public consultation contains no concrete proposals on democracy.
Instead, it is expected to lay out only general principles for choosing Hong Kong's chief executive and legislature by universal suffrage in future elections.
The revelation has been met with an angry backlash from pro-democracy legislators.
They claim that the government has shied away from the three options formula for fear that the model supported by the pro-democrats could win overwhelming public support.
Hong Kong is technically entitled to full democracy from 2007 under the "one country, two systems" arrangement.
Currently, only half of Hong Kong's legislators are directly elected and there is no popular vote for the position of chief executive, who is instead chosen by a largely pro-Beijing election committee.
Around 55,000 people took part in a march demanding democracy in Hong Kong on July 1, the 10th anniversary for thereturn to China.
DPA
It prepared to release a consultation paper on political reform that includes no model for universal suffrage.
The government has confirmed the paper that will launch a three-month public consultation contains no concrete proposals on democracy.
Instead, it is expected to lay out only general principles for choosing Hong Kong's chief executive and legislature by universal suffrage in future elections.
The revelation has been met with an angry backlash from pro-democracy legislators.
They claim that the government has shied away from the three options formula for fear that the model supported by the pro-democrats could win overwhelming public support.
Hong Kong is technically entitled to full democracy from 2007 under the "one country, two systems" arrangement.
Currently, only half of Hong Kong's legislators are directly elected and there is no popular vote for the position of chief executive, who is instead chosen by a largely pro-Beijing election committee.
Around 55,000 people took part in a march demanding democracy in Hong Kong on July 1, the 10th anniversary for thereturn to China.
DPA
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