Hong Kong students threaten protest if schools keep up ‘suppression’ of their pro-independence advocacy

Asia/China/09 de Septiembre de 2016/Autor: Danny Mok/Fuente: South China Morning Post

RESUMEN: Grupos localistas de alrededor de 20 escuelas están amenazando a protestar si los profesores no se detienen para «suprimir» la distribución de los materiales que abogan por la independencia de Hong Kong desde el continente. La escuela secundaria y estudiantes de instituto de formación profesional dijeron en un comunicado conjunto de sus miembros que habían estado repartiendo volantes fuera de sus recintos desde que comenzo  el año escolar  el día jueves para fomentar el conocimiento de los compañeros sobre los problemas locales y el futuro de Hong Kong después de 2047, cuando la autonomía distinta de la ciudad dentro de china está a punto de expirar. Los estudiantes declararon reivindicar sus acciones  en línea con el gobierno de las escuelas y los principios educativos, que les animó a preocuparse por los asuntos sociales.

Localist groups from about 20 schools are threatening to protest if teachers do not stop “suppressing” their distribution of materials advocating Hong Kong’s independence from the mainland.

The secondary school and vocational institute students said in a joint statement their members had been handing out leaflets outside their campuses since the school year started on Thursday to encourage their classmates’ awareness of local issues and Hong Kong’s future after 2047, when the city’s distinct autonomy within China is set to expire.

The students’ statement claimed their actions were in line with the government’s and the schools’ educational principles, which encouraged them to care about social matters.

“But it is regretful that our members have been continually subjected to suppression by the schools to varying degrees for distributing the leaflets,” it said.

Student localists flout warnings to promote independence outside Hong Kong schools on first day of new term

The students said the suppression included barring them from speaking to media and removing those who had handed out the leaflets.

They urged the schools to stand with them and stop violating students’ rights.

“If there are schools that try to suppress any of our members again, we will certainly escalate our action in response,” it added.

The statement did not specify what an escalation might entail, but at a press conference on Tuesday representatives of the groups said they might lay siege to schools.

They appealed to the Education Bureau to withdraw its previous remarks reminding schools not to discuss independence.

Newly re-elected education sector legislator Ip Kin-yuen said the struggle between schools and students on the independence issue was rooted in how Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and education minister Eddie Ng Hak-kim had defined the issue.

He said Leung and Ng had made schools nervous to handle the matter and that students were now responding emotionally.

Fuente: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2016883/hong-kong-students-threaten-protest-if-schools

Fuente de la imagen: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/hong-kong-fears-pro-china-brainwashing-in-education-1.1296013