Hiding behind court orders and power of police won't make calls for universal suffrage go away
South China Morning Post
2 December 2014
As court orders, followed by more aggressive police tactics, seek to clear the streets in Mong Kok and Admiralty, the non-violent civil disobedience campaign in Hong Kong has reached a climax. For two months, the protesters have impressed the world with their peaceful sit-ins. Allegations that they are undermining the rule of law have met with scepticism. In this moment of difficulty, we should not lose sight of the fact that primary responsibility for maintaining the rule of law rests with the government. The administration cannot simply hide behind civil court orders and police powers in exercising its responsibility. How it tackles the many problems with the underlying reform process will be crucial. Click here to read the full article.
Professor Davis also wrote a short piece on "Assessing the 'Umbrella Movement' in Hong Kong" for the University of Nottingham's China Policy Institute Blog on 1 December 2014. He argues that it is "facile" to believe the Occupy protests have achieved nothing. Going forwards the regional and central governments need public support to govern, and "only the Hong Kong Government is in a position to restore confidence in governance".
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