Hong Kong leader, Carrie Lam, has announced that she has fully withdrawn the controversial bill that would allow extradition to mainland China. This is the first concession by the government after protests have been ongoing for the last three months, but it does not mean they will not continue.
In a video statement Lam says, “After more than two months of social unrest, it is obvious to many that this discontentment extends far beyond the bill,” however, “We must find ways to address the discontent in society and look for solutions.”
While this appears to be a move in the right direction, protesters have four other key demands other than the extradition bill. These demands included independent inquiry probe into police brutality during protests, withdrawing the characterization of the protests as “riots”, releasing arrested protesters and implementing universal suffrage in Hong Kong.
Instead of giving ground on their demand of an independent commission to oversee them, Lam instead said all investigations will be conducted by the current Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC). In addition, she also appointed two new members to the council, a former education bureau chief and a former judge. She says overall goal is to restore order in jurisdiction, and to “replace conflicts with conversations” and “look for solutions.”
However, many worry that it’s too little too late to quell the protests. One pro-Beijing lawmaker worries that it “may be too late because this movement has become more than the bill.”
He may be right, many of those involved may still feel the need to continue protesting. Excessive force used by some officers with no sign of any disciplinary action in sight, and the arrests and detainment of protesters are just a few reasons. The protests have shown that many of the citizens of Hong Kong don’t feel like their government is working for them, and that in itself is a reason to continue.
