Hundreds of scholars vow to back student boycott in stand against Beijing
ERNEST KAO AND SAMUEL CHAN
PUBLISHED : Monday, 15 September, 2014, 6:29am
UPDATED : Monday, 15 September, 2014, 6:29am
Some of the 520 academics who issued a statement criticising the "undemocratic" framework for the 2017 elections. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Hundreds of academics from more than 20 tertiary institutions across the city have made a united stand against Beijing's "undemocratic" framework for universal suffrage in 2017.
In a joint statement signed by 520 scholars, researchers and administrators, they vowed to strive for true democracy and support student class boycotts, which could begin as early as next week.
The scholars lashed out at the national legislature's decision last month, which made it possible for an "undemocratically constituted nominating committee to manipulate and control who can become a candidate" for the chief executive.
"It is using eloquent sophistry, tantamount to calling a stag a steed … Our feelings on this are no less than extreme disappointment and indignation," the statement read.
Political scientist Dr Cheung Chor-yung of City University said the path for attaining genuine universal suffrage through dialogue had come to an end.
"I don't believe that in the second consultation period … there will not be anything left to discuss," he said. Cheung said the scholars would not go on strike but would support boycotting students.
University of Hong Kong law professor Eric Cheung Tat-ming said: "As academics … we have the responsibility to safeguard truth … We must teach students that no matter how realist some may be, they shouldn't have to accept lies."
The academics also formed a group to monitor the city's democratic development and promote democratic education.
Meanwhile, the chairman of a pro-Beijing teachers' union accused the class boycott movement of being the first step towards eventual subversion.
After likening the class boycott organisers to triad gangs last week, Wong Kwan-yu from the Federation of Education Workers yesterday said: "They are going to overthrow an authoritarian regime; they are preparing themselves for revolution".
Scholarism spokesman Max Lau I-lung said fighting for genuine democracy was the group's only aim and revolution never crossed their minds.
Occupy Central co-organiser Dr Chan Kin-man said one should not confuse fighting for democracy with subversion.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1592582/academics-take-stand-against-beijings-undemocratic-election-framework
