Thousands Rally to Demand Democratic Elections in Hong Kong
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Jumat, 19 Oktober 2018 23:01 WIB
A picture of Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is burned by protesters during a flag raising ceremony to mark the 16th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China in Hong Kong Monday (1/7). AP/Kin Cheung
TEMPO.CO, Hong Kong - Tens of thousands of people marched the streets in Hong Kong to demand the resignation of Beijing’s chosen leader and China honor its promises to hold fully democratic elections in 2017. Crowds stormed through the streets for the annual pro-democracy rally, on the 16th anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China.
Protestors demanded Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong’s leader, to immediately step down following the string of scandals linked to him since his leadership this past year. Leung was not directly chosen by the people in Hong Kong. He was instead elected by 1,200 committee members from Beijing and pro-business elites.
Earlier Mr Leung said that the Hong Kong government was committed to introducing full democracy by 2017. Speaking at a ceremony on Monday, he described "implementation of universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017" as a "major task" for the Hong Kong government.