NopopulationhasexpressedagreaterdesirefordemocracythanhavethepeopleofHongKong,throughelections,opinionpollsandpeacefuldemonstrations.NopopulationismorepreparedtoenjoytherightsandundertaketheresponsibilitiesofdemocracythanthepeopleofHongKong.Farfromleadingtochaos,astheChinesegovernmenthassuggested,democracywillprovideHongKongwiththegoodgovernanceneededforstabilityandeconomicprosperity.Democracyistheonlywaytoensurefreedomsofassociation,expression,religionandthepress.Overthepastfewmonths,BeijinghasintervenedinHongKong'sautonomyandcurbeditsdemocraticdevelopment.IthasmalignedHongKong'sdemocracyactivistsas"unpatriotic,"warnedagainst"foreigninterference,"andsentChinesenavyvesselstoHongKongharbor.AsHongKong'speoplepreparetomarchonJuly1,andtovoteinpartially-democraticelectionsSeptember12,weexpressoursupportforthedemocraticrightsofHongKong'speople,includingtherighttodeterminetheirpoliticaldevelopment. |