Student strike for democracy tackles university education
Striking students in Hong Kong are not bringing their education to a halt, but upgrading their knowledge in politics and social transformation.
Text and photos: Carla Gonzalez
Hundreds of Hong Kong students gathered today at Tamar Park during the second day of a class boycott, that seeks not only legal reform in the election of government officials, but an understanding of the power of education in achieving social change.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students scheduled 150 lectures to take place in three locations in Admiralty, near the city’s government offices. During the morning around six hundred students boycotted class to take part in the protest and attend the talks on topics relating to democracy and social reform.
Karl Poon, a student from the Chinese University of Hong Kong said the boycott is focused in the future and how students can secure the right to protest for the coming generations.
“A one-week strike is not going to be effective, the key of the student strike is education,” said Poon.
Alex Chow, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students said that if the strike can’t change the election system in Hong Kong, then the movement has to be upgraded into an act of civil disobedience. He said that as only one of the organizers he couldn’t say what these actions might be, or when they might happen.
A group of students tried to talk to Chief Executive of C.Y. Leung in his office earlier, as security officials dispersed the crowd earlier. According to Chow the students demanded Leung to go to Tamar Park and talk to the striking students.
“We gave him (Leung) 48 hours. If he still doesn’t show up, the movement needs to take actions that involve legal consequences,” said Chow.
“The government in Hong Kong is very conservative, they will not dare to listen and face the people. So we have a phrase that says people have to determine their future on their own,” said Chow.
Almond Li, a student from the University of Hong Kong, said that the impact of the strike should be determined by how it changes the students’ perspective of their own political reality. “I wasn’t interested in politics, I didn’t understand it, but by participating in the lectures it will help me understand much more about this topic,” said Li.
The activities will continue until Friday, when a group of high school students is expected to join the strike. According to Chow, the majority of students striking will join the rally scheduled for tonight. The student federation earlier said that more than 13.000 people joined the first day of the boycott, at Chinese University on Monday.
