Dear Sir,
Watching what is happening in Hong Kong from afar, and exchanging news with former colleagues and with my wife’s family, I am struck by how much misinformation, fake news, rumour-mongering and bare-faced lies are being pedalled by all parties it seems. Makes it hard to know where the truth is to be found.
But the overall picture is grim. Starting off from a demonstration against the Chinese wish for Hong Kong to create extradition laws with China, it appears that the grievances of mostly the younger generations have broadened out into a wide spectrum including the disparity between the haves and have nots, rapacious landlords, corrupt developers and the property market, a politicised police force and the ever-rising cost of living.
The fact that a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, LAU Yip-shing, is being re-called to handle the disturbances shows there is a perceived inadequacy in the current leadership in the force. I know LAU well; worked for me at Police Training School; and he is an intelligent, decisive and bold operator. But if his hands are tied by the Chief Executive and her cohorts, he may be stymied before he can start.
Certainly, from the news that we, the general public, are fed by the press, it appears that the police force has been ineffective through mismanagement and poor leadership. Rather than calming things down and restoring law and order, police action or inaction appears to have exacerbated an already tense situation.
The Chinese authorities are pragmatic and I cannot see them sending in the PLA to quell the disturbances. The very last thing they want is a loss of confidence, money flying out of Hong Kong, tourism stopped, people trying to escape the territory, etc. But, having said that, if things get any worse….
Sincerely
Stuart McDouall, Cheshire, England
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