If only we could have staying in HK a little longer to enjoy this...
Thousands take to the streets in Hong Kong to protest for democracy.
Protesters march as others gather at Victoria Park to demand universal suffrage in Hong Kong December 4, 2005. Tens of thousands marched in Hong Kong on Sunday for the right to directly elect their political leaders and to protest against a package of electoral reforms pushed by the city's chief executive and Beijing. (REUTERS/Stringer)
Simon starts the debate about how they count the number of people at an event like this. ESWN has quotes from many newspapers are saying 60,000...but if you look at the pictures, it appears far, far more than that. Imagine...60,000 people will fill an average American football stadium. Now...look at the picture...does that look like that many people? But then...is this estimate any better?? You can see it with your own eyes here...
UPDATE: From The Standard...a pointed article as to the reaction of The Don.
"There is little scope for me to change [the proposals]. But I hope that within what little scope I have, I will see what I can do to perfect the package," Tsang said. "But it will be of limited scale and it will not affect the timetable for resolution of this matter in the Legislative Council [on December 21]. Nor will it itself produce quickly a timetable that is not achievable."
Tsang has staked his prestige on the proposals, which he began shaping while serving under Tung. The government insists the package has the backing of the majority of Hong Kong residents.
That sort of comment probably won't make his bosses feel too good...as he is clearly pointing the finger at them for straddling HK with its current election system.
There is also this from former number 2 in HK government, Anson Chan. Mrs. Chan is an incredible woman, having served as no. 2 for both Chris Patten and Tung Chee Hwa. Her partcipation in these demonstrations was a major blow to her colleague, The Don.
The widely respected Chan, 65, who was once considered a potential candidate for chief executive, resigned in 2001 amid speculation that she was out of favor with Beijing.
She denied that her decision to march was linked to comments made by deputy secretary general of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Qiao Xiaoyang last Friday.
Qiao, who met with pro-democracy legislators in a Shenzhen forum, said it would be an impossible mission to bundle a universal suffrage timetable along with the tabling of the reform package in the Legislative Council on December 21.
"It's just based on everything I have seen, everything I have heard," she said, adding that she is no longer working in the government and is free to express her own views.
Here is the link to some pictures of the demonstration. Couple of good shots of Mrs. Chan in there too. Love the Burberry handbag.
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