Hope you guys make it through okay.

Seismic Anamoly · Joined: 22 Aug 2002 Posts: 3039

Looks like the day of reckoning is coming.

Quote:

China review after HK protest

Friday, April 2, 2004

Posted: 8:35 AM EST (1335 GMT)

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- China has begun its review of Hong Kong's constitution, hours after police clashed with protesters, ejecting dozens who were rallying outside the territory's government headquarters.

The review, by a top parliamentary committee, is looking at re-interpreting clauses in Hong Kong's Basic Law including Beijing's plans to issue a binding ruling on the territory's election law.

This would set out how Hong Kong's leaders and lawmakers are chosen.

Critics say the review will stifle the pro-democracy movement ahead of September legislative elections.

About 90 democracy activists were among a crowd of about 1,000 who staged an overnight candlelit protest outside government offices on Thursday.

The protesters had sought to hand unpopular Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa a letter demanding a stop to Beijing's review.

Local television showed police officers carrying struggling protesters one by one after they moved in before dawn to eject them. Two people were arrested and charged with assaulting police officers, police officials said.

"Disgusting! Stop police violence!" the demonstrators shouted as they scuffled with police.

Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Donald Tsang urged the protesters to trust Beijing, saying China had Hong Kong's best interests in mind.

"We had the economic crisis, then SARS. Every time the country helps us out and asks nothing in return... so I believe over this matter of constitutional reform, it will approach it with only the interests of Hong Kong at heart," he said.

But most in Hong Kong are against the review, opinion polls indicate, and want direct elections as early as 2007.

"It's like a final nail to the coffin of 'one China, two systems' and I want to show my protest," demonstrator May Wong told CNN.

Edited by: Seismic Anamoly at: 4/2/04 4:10 pm

MIKE BURN

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

shot itself in the foot when they "requested" China to overturn a supreme court ruling on right of abode a few years ago. I said then China would use that as a precedent to decide on other matters, and guess what???

At the risk of shocking everyone, I'm not so sure what all the fuss is about the current state of "democracy" we have in the world anyway. Its been bastardized and corrupted so badly, even elected leaders are not allowed to stay in power - puppets are put in their place, the US has a leader who wasnt elected by the general populace. India has people who can run for elections from prison. Its all a great bloody joke. :ohno

GAH.

Seismic Anamoly · Joined: 22 Aug 2002 Posts: 3039

Quote:
Its all a great bloody joke.

Never were any truer words written!!

How 'bout me and you hook up on Tahiti and let the rest of the world disappear??

I got tha money if you got tha time... :bcool

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

"I got tha money if you've got tha time"

There's a song in there somewhere...

:banana

Seismic Anamoly · Joined: 22 Aug 2002 Posts: 3039

Here ya go...but the woring is backwards...

IF YOU GOT THA MONEY, HONEY....

:bcool