Demanding Paper
for an Action to Protect “Freedom” and “Democracy” of Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, after the talk between Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Mr. Xi Jinping on 4 November, the Hong Kong police has been strengthening their hard-line stance. Hong Kong citizens’ human rights are threatened through such incidents as some pro-democracy legislators being arrested at the Legislative Council because of the conflict, the police firing live bullets at peace marchers, and the police stepping into the church and assaulting ordinary citizens without a search warrant. At the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the police rushed into the campuses, fired tear gas as well as rubber bullets and arrested many students. Hong Kong student groups jointly issued a statement, condemning that the use of force by the police is a reenactment of the Tiananmen Massacre, which suppressed the student democracy movement in 1989.
Also, there is information that the citizens’ lives are now in danger because tear gas, when burned, generates hydrogen cyanide, which is used as a chemical weapon.
“The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act,” which was aimed to protect the human rights and democracy in Hong Kong, and “The Hong Kong Support Resolution,” which supports Hong Kong citizens’ right to demonstrate, were passed at the US Congress House of Representatives in the middle of October. On 19 November, the US Senate passed “The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.” Meanwhile, Japan plans to invite Mr. Xi Jinping as a state guest next spring. We, the Happiness Realization Party, argue that Mr. Xi Jinping should not be invited to Japan unless Hong Kong stops suppressing its people of their human rights.
There is a voice from Hong Kong people demanding Japan to help Hong Kong by enacting such a bill as “The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.” Japan, from a humanitarian perspective, should give its best effort to shape an international public opinion to protect freedom and democracy of Hong Kong, by working with such nations as the US and the UK.
Thus, we, the Happiness Realization Party, demand the Japanese Government:
– To demonstrate a clear intention, as the government, to protect human rights and democracy in Hong Kong, and to send out a message to support the democratization movement of Hong Kong citizens to the international society.
– To demand the Hong Kong government to accept the remaining four demands; (1) to withdraw the view to see the civic movement as a riot, (2) to stop arresting and prosecuting the protestors, (3) to have an independent party conduct an investigation into the police’s violent suppression, and (4) the resignation of the Chief Executive and implementation of universal suffrage. One of the five demands – abolition of “The Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill” – has already been met.
– To impose sanctions, such as economic sanctions, in cooperation with such nations as the US and the UK, if the Chinese government does not observe the “one country, two systems” policy of Hong Kong.
– To deploy vessels of the Self-Defense Forces and private ships promptly to evacuate approximately 20,000 Japanese citizens in Hong Kong in the unlikely event of the Chinese government crushing the movement via military force.
– To accept refugees from Hong Kong as a result of an unlikely case of human rights suppression by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, from the humanitarian perspective.
Ryoko SHAKU
Party Leader
The Happiness Realization Party
2-10-8 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Phone: +81-3-6441-0754
