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defrogLast night in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park:
That’s the annual candlelight vigil marking the 23rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. And as the title notes, that’s about 30,000 more candles than last year.
Which is both impressive and telling. Impressive because ten years ago – or even five years ago – 55,000 was considered a decent turnout. And telling because this year’s turnout was motivated as much by this year’s sad excuse for an election and subsequent scandals of everyone involved as the the ongoing sagas of Bo Xilai and Chen Guangcheng.
Even the outgoing chief executive isn’t getting a dignified exit – he’s under investigation by the ICAC for accepting “inappropriate favours” from local business tycoons such as overseas trips on private jets, staying on luxury yachts and leasing an apartment for below market price. Even his family is under scrutiny for cashing in.
Which admittedly has nothing to do with Tiananmen. But it does seem to be a trend that more public discontent with the HK govt, the bigger the turnout on June 4. And the election itself did serve as a big reminder that HK chief execs are not only pre-approved by Beijing, but also have comparatively limited accountability to the public – and Tiananmen is an extreme but stark example of what happens when govts feel they don’t have to answer to their own people’s demands.
Much has also been made of the fact that many of the people who attended the vigil are students who weren’t even born when Tiananmen happened. Which is worth noting because it’s always possible to forget, and even more so when a given event can only be remembered via history books.
Remember,
This is dF
That’s the annual candlelight vigil marking the 23rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. And as the title notes, that’s about 30,000 more candles than last year.
Which is both impressive and telling. Impressive because ten years ago – or even five years ago – 55,000 was considered a decent turnout. And telling because this year’s turnout was motivated as much by this year’s sad excuse for an election and subsequent scandals of everyone involved as the the ongoing sagas of Bo Xilai and Chen Guangcheng.
Even the outgoing chief executive isn’t getting a dignified exit – he’s under investigation by the ICAC for accepting “inappropriate favours” from local business tycoons such as overseas trips on private jets, staying on luxury yachts and leasing an apartment for below market price. Even his family is under scrutiny for cashing in.
Which admittedly has nothing to do with Tiananmen. But it does seem to be a trend that more public discontent with the HK govt, the bigger the turnout on June 4. And the election itself did serve as a big reminder that HK chief execs are not only pre-approved by Beijing, but also have comparatively limited accountability to the public – and Tiananmen is an extreme but stark example of what happens when govts feel they don’t have to answer to their own people’s demands.
Much has also been made of the fact that many of the people who attended the vigil are students who weren’t even born when Tiananmen happened. Which is worth noting because it’s always possible to forget, and even more so when a given event can only be remembered via history books.
Remember,
This is dF
