The Social Democrats League (LSD), a Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Political Party, announced its dissolution on Sunday, 29, due to immense political pressure. The group is the latest victim of a repression of years that has silenced much of the opposition, quite vocal in the past.
After old men’s protests in 2019, many of the most prominent activists were processed or incarcerated under a national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. Dozens of civil society groups were dissolved. Critical media to the government closed.
The Social Democratic League was the only pro-democracy party that still organized small protests from time to time and maintained activities at streets on the streets to continue their defense despite the risks.
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Party President Chan Po-Ying said the decision was made after careful deliberation, especially taking into account the consequences for its members and companions. Chan refused to give details of the pressure, but said he was proud of the party’s contribution to the city’s pro-democracy movement in recent years.
“We remain faithful to our original aspirations and did not disappoint the confidence deposited in us by those who went to prison,” she said. “Although we are now forced to dissolve and feel a pain in our conscience, we have no other choice,” he added.
On July 1, Hong Kong will celebrate the 28th anniversary of his return to Chinese domain. The city, an old British colony, used to have annual pro-democracy protests on this day, and several other manifestations claiming better policies. This ceased after most organizing groups dissolved, and the main activists are arrested.
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Critics say drastic political changes under the security law reflect that the freedoms Beijing promised to keep intact in 1997 are decreasing. The governments of Beijing and Hong Kong insist that the law is necessary for the stability of the city.
Supervising Hong Kong’s affairs in 2023, a Chinese officer said protests are not the only way for people to express their opinions, indicating Beijing’s stance on demonstrations in the city.
In April, the Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest Pro-Democracy Party, also voted to give its leadership the mandate of moving forward to possible dissolution. A final vote is expected.
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Chan said he believed that the principle of “one country, two systems,” which Beijing uses to govern Hong Kong, has ended, pointing to the imposition of the Chinese government security law and raising the idea of “mild resistance”, a term used by officers to refer to underlying safety risks. “One country, two systems has already become a country, a system,” she said.
Founded in 2006, the Social Democrats League was a leftist political party that was opposed to what it called collusion between government and companies. The party defended the principle that people have a voice and was firmly committed to the interests of the less privileged residents.
It was widely known as more aggressive confrontation tactics in the struggle for change. Its members launched bananas, eggs, and canned meat in prosecutors or pro-pequia legislators as a protest. The party’s platform said the group defended non -violent resistance, but would not avoid physical confrontations – a posture that differentiated it from older and more traditional groups.
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The party even had three legislators in office. His parliamentarian with more service time, Leung Kwok-Hung-Chan’s husband-was disqualified from the legislature due to his way of taking an oath when taking office in 2017.
Last year, Leung and outstanding activist LGBTQ+ Jimmy Sham, a former party leader, were sentenced to almost seven years and more than four years for their roles in a non-official primary election under the security law. Sham was released from prison last month.
In recent years, the party has had limited political influence, and has no more chairs in parliament or local district councils. Even a bank has stopped providing services to the group. However, the party continued to organize small occasional protests despite the arrests. On June 12, Chan and other members were fined for activities at homeless booths. Without letting it discouraged, they continued pressing and protested against the decision outside the court.
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During a press conference on Sunday, the party president wiped the tears and said slogans alongside other members. Chan said he does not believe that democracy will arrive in the near future. “Advancing is not easy,” he said. “I hope everyone can become like an ember, a flying spark – still bringing light, keeping that flame alive, however small.”
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