Hong Kong Indigenous

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This article is about a political group in Hong Kong. For the Indigenous people, see Indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories.

Hong Kong Indigenous
本土民主前線
FoundedJanuary 2015
Membership (2016)~60[1]
IdeologyLocalism (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong nationalism
Colours  Blue
Legislative Council
0 / 90
District Councils
0 / 470
Hong Kong Indigenous
Traditional Chinese本土民主前線
Simplified Chinese本土民主前线

Hong Kong Indigenous (本土民主前線; lit. 'Local-land Democracy Front') is a localist political group established in 2015.[2] It is known for its hardline localist stances and militant methods of protesting.[2] It has been actively involved in protests and engaged into violent clashes with police, including in the anti-parallel trading protests and the Mong Kok unrest.[3] Edward Leung and Ray Wong are the former convenor and key figure of the group.

Beliefs

Hong Kong Indigenous states that it opposes the increased influence of mainland China and the Beijing government's involvement in Hong Kong. It opposes the increased use of standard Mandarin in Hong Kong schools instead of the native Cantonese. It also claims that the growing number of mainland migrants – due to the issuing of one-way travel permits to mainlanders over which Hong Kong has no control whatsoever – would have the effect of "diluting the ratio of local people" and depriving the locals' resources," especially in primary schools, public housing and certain jobs. It argues that a mainland "incursion" is stripping residents of their identity and rights.[4] The group has criticised the pan-democracy camp's "gentle approach" of non-violent civil disobedience and calls for a "militant" approach by "bravery and force".[2] The group pushes for secession from China.[5]

History

Hong Kong Indigenous at the Liberate Yuen Long protest.

Hong Kong Indigenous was set up by a group of youngsters who participated in the 2014 Hong Kong protests in January 2015. It organised anti-parallel trading protests with another nativist group Civic Passion against the growing influx of mainland Chinese shoppers engaging in parallel trading in early 2015, aggressively picketing the alleged shoppers and having clashes with the police.[6] After the third demonstration, the central government said it would restrict Shenzhen residents to one visit a week.[4]

In July 2015, Hong Kong Indigenous marched to the Immigration Department to demand deportation of an undocumented 12-year-old Mainland boy Siu Yau-wai, who lived in Hong Kong for nine years without identification, with other nativists including Youngspiration.[7]

In January 2016, the group announced the candidacy of its 24 year old member Edward Leung Tin-kei for the 2016 New Territories East by-election which was triggered by the resignation of Civic Party legislator Ronny Tong.[8] Leung received 66,524 votes, about 15 percent of the total votes, behind pan-democratic Civic Party and pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.[9] The better-than-expected result was considered a big boost for the localist cause.[10]

In February 2016, the group was actively involved in violent clashes with police in Mong Kok arising from the group's call for action to protect illegal street hawkers from a government crackdown.[3] Spokesman and Legislative Council by-election candidate Edward Leung Tin-kei and around 20 members and volunteers of the group were arrested.[11][12] Convenor Ray Wong Toi-yeung dismissed the claim that they incited the violent clashes and stated that they were only there to defend the street hawkers.[13]

In the 2016 Legislative Council election, Edward Leung intended to run in once again New Territories East. The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) carried out a new election measure, requiring all candidates to sign an additional "confirmation form" in the nomination to declare their understanding of Hong Kong being an inalienable part of China as stipulated in the Basic Law of Hong Kong.[14] Leung initially refused to sign the form but later agreed to sign the form after the court refused to immediately hear the judicial review. Leung was banned along with five other pro-independence activists after the end of the nomination period.[15]

In November 2017, Ray Wong who was charged for instigating riot, joint incitement and inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly failed to report to the police and return his travel documents to the court on 22 November after a judge-approved trip to Europe on condition of a HK$100,000 cash bail. The High Court issued an arrest warrant. According to pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po, Wong had absconded to the UK.[16]

On 18 December 2017, Edward Leung announced his departure from the Hong Kong Indigenous as spokesman ahead of his trial of instigating riot among other charges.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "新聞人物：誰是黃台仰？". BBC. 11 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Hewitt, Duncan (8 April 2015). "Hong Kong's Clashes Over Mainland Shoppers Show Rising Cultural Tensions With China". International Business Times.
  3. ^ a b "【A1頭條】本土派號召300人旺角撐小販 警噴椒驅散". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
  4. ^ a b Sataline, Suzanne (18 May 2015). "Meet the Man Who Wants to Make Hong Kong a City-State". Foreign Policy.
  5. ^ Cheung, Gary; Fung, Owen (26 August 2016). "Why Beijing's headache over calls for Hong Kong's independence has only just begun". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  6. ^ Chan, Kevin (2 March 2015). "Chinese shoppers latest target of Hong Kong protest anger". USA Today.
  7. ^ "Localism: Why is support for the political perspective growing – and who's behind it?". Time Out Hong Kong. 1 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  8. ^ "【新東補選】本民前梁天琦參選 稱獲青年新政支持 若進議會拉布點人數「是基本」". Ming Pao. 10 January 2015.
  9. ^ "2016 Legislative Council Geographical Constituency New Territories By-election - Election Result". Electoral Affairs Commission. 29 February 2016.
  10. ^ "【新東補選】馬嶽：本土派有市場料更多名單爭泛民票源". Apple Daily. 29 February 2016.
  11. ^ "【旺角黑夜】本民前梁天琦被捕". HK01. 9 February 2016.
  12. ^ "【旺角衝突】本民前稱警上門圖強行入屋 約20成員義工被捕". Apple Daily. 9 February 2016.
  13. ^ "【旺角衝突】黃台仰：掟磚非激烈事前冇準備 焦點應放在警濫權". Apple Daily. 9 January 2016.
  14. ^ Ng, Joyce; Ng, Kang-chung (14 July 2016). "'Accept Hong Kong is part of China or you can't run in Legco elections'". South China Morning Post.
  15. ^ Tsang, Emily; Cheung, Elizabeth (30 July 2016). "Hong Kong National Party convenor disqualified from running in Legislative Council polls". South China Morning Post.
  16. ^ "Where is Ray Wong, the alleged Mong Kok riot instigator?". South China Morning Post. 1 December 2017.
  17. ^ "梁天琦退出本民前！辭黨籍盼審訊前陪至親". 蘋果日報. 18 December 2017.
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