Both groups advocate self-determination for city, but look set to clash in upcoming Legco elections
JEFFIE.LAM@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Monday, 11 April, 2016, 11:57am
Youngspiration (left) and Demosisto (right) are likely to run against each other in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon East in the upcoming elections. Photos: Dickson Lee and Felix Wong
Political parties Youngspiration and Demosisto, which both eye seats in the legislature, might hold the same goal of advocating self-determination for Hong Kong, but the two groups led by young activists have shared diverging views on protesting tactics.
Baggio Leung Chun-hang, the convenor of Youngspiration, said they would use a commensurate level of force to defend themselves when oppressed, adding it was acceptable for protesters to cover their faces with masks.
“A lot of protesters were arrested even though they did nothing. In face of such law enforcers, how could we ask protesters to adopt no protection measures at all?” Leung told RTHK’s Talkabout on Monday morning.
His colleague Yau Wai-ching also stressed that “all kinds of protest means are acceptable” as long as they could achieve the ends, such as blocking unjust bills and policies.
The pair’s remarks came a day after Youngspiration formed an electoral alliance alongside five other post-Occupy groups. They plan to field four lists of candidates in all geographical constituencies except New Territories East.
This would mean running head-to-head against Demosisto, a new party formed on Sunday by student leaders who co-led the Occupy sit-ins in 2014, in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon East.
Both groups have pledged to hold a referendum in coming years to allow Hongkongers to decide their own fate beyond 2047, the year when the principle of “one country, two systems” expires.
But in a separate interview on the same programme, Demosisto leaders emphasised the importance of non-violent resistance, even though it had failed to bear fruit in the pro-democracy battle two years ago.
“We are not afraid of breaking the law to fight for justice,” said Nathan Law Kwun-chung, formerly the secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students and now the chairman of the party.
“But there’s a huge gap between civil society and the regime in terms of force. Society will have to pay a very high price if we keep escalating the struggle,” he added.
It was important for movement leaders to keep their moral responsibility in mind, he said, adding that non-violent protests would yield positive impact and foster rational debates in the city.
Noting that many internet users had doubts about the effectiveness of peaceful protests, Demosisto vice-chairman Oscar Lai Man-lok said however that there were still a lot of opportunities which had yet to be explored, such as labour and shopkeeper strikes.
“It is not the end for non-violent struggle yet,” he said.
New party founded by former Occupy student leaders to seek self-determination for Hong Kong
Meanwhile, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, secretary general of Demosisto, and Law will embark on a trip to the United States and Canada later this week, where the duo will visit different universities to promote the city’s right to self-determination.
While admitting that independence was not feasible in short term, Law said the government and Beijing should reflect on why such sentiments, which were rarely popular years ago, could gain momentum today.
He also said Hong Kong, a place with freedom of expression, should not ban discussion on the matter.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1935118/new-hong-kong-political-parties-youngspiration-and-demosisto
