Hong Kong protesters reopen channel for talks

Want China Times, CNA and Staff Reporter 2014-10-05

Are protesters in Hong Kong about to hang up their umbrellas? (Photo/CNS)

Leaders of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong decided late Saturday to reopen a channel for talks with government officials and to allow civil servants to resume work Monday so as not to give the government any excuse to end their occupation movement.

Benny Tai, a key leader of the Occupy Central demonstration, which demands universal suffrage for Hong Kong residents to elect their top leader in 2017, said the decision was made after discussions with three major associations that have helped organize the protest.

Alex Chow, a leader of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, urged pro-democracy protesters to stand up and face the threat from the government.

Chow said the Occupy Central movement is not intended to launch a revolution, but it wants the government to respond to its demands and investigate accusations against the police regarding the use of gang members during attacks on peaceful demonstrators.

"If the government carries out such an investigation, the Hong Kong Federation of Students is willing to hold talks with the government again," he stated.

Confrontations between protesters and police and the arrest of peaceful demonstrators had led to protest leaders cancelling planned talks on Hong Kong's political reform with the government last week.

Lester Shum, one of the student leaders, said the occupation movement has been launched to pursue democracy and he urged the Hong Kong government not to respond by firing tear gas at protestors.

Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying said on television Saturday night that the government and police have the responsibility and would use "every means" to restore public order to enable 3,000 government officials to get back to work and students to return to school Monday.

Police have shown tolerance and urged protesters to clear the streets as soon as possible since the mass demonstrations erupted Sept. 28, but their efforts to disperse them have only drawn more supporters to the streets.

As protesters continued their occupation in downtown streets, clashes erupted between the students and their opponents throughout Sunday morning.

Earlier on Sunday, Peter Mathieson, president and vice chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, issued a statement urging students and faculty members to quickly leave the protesting venues, citing concerns for their personal safety.