Bilingual Editorial: Protests that spread like wildfire
雙語社評:乾柴烈焰星火燎原 多國示威共同特點
文章日期:2019年11月8日

雙語社評齊齊聽

[英語 (足本收聽)] Presented by Mr KWOK, Tony Chun-tung, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

[普通話 (足本收聽)] Presented by Dr CHOI, Wai-yuk, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

 

The nationwide demonstrations that have lasted over a week in Iraq have caused 110 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries. In Egypt, the protests that have gone on for three Fridays in a row have rendered more than 3,000 people arrested. In Indonesia, protests by university students and racial unrest last month have led to over 30 deaths, over 300 injuries and over 100 arrests. Vigorous protests in Ecuador, South America have forced government departments to evacuate the capital and announce a curfew and a 60-day state of emergency. Hundreds of people have been arrested. All around the globe, it seems that scenes of fire and smoke are everywhere. What is happening in Hong Kong is being replicated in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These struggles and confrontations exhibit characteristics of their respective backgrounds. But they also bear parallels in an era of globalisation. They are lessons that deserve to be learnt by those in government in all countries around the globe.

[ENG audio 1]

The protests in the abovementioned nations were triggered by different matters. In Indonesia, university students are protesting an "evil law" made by the government that criminalises homosexual relationships, extramarital sex, abortions and insults to the president, and an amendment to the law that weakens the power of anti-corruption agencies. The protests in Iraq originated from the dismissal of a general who is regarded as a national hero for his meritorious service in combating ISIS. The Egyptian protests stemmed from a video clip published in social media by a man who calls himself a contractor. In the video, he accused Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his wife of abusing money earmarked for infrastructural construction and frittering away public money on the president's residence, villa and hotels. That provoked a huge outcry. As for the riots in Ecuador, there is, on the surface, an economic reason for it, as the government is revoking subsidies for fuel prices. But they are also attributable to a rupture in relations between the incumbent president and the former president, who used to be allies. A disagreement between the left and the right ensued. The incumbent president, who inclines to the right, accepted the suggestion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and went on an austerity drive. Clashes broke out between him and supporters of the former president.

[ENG audio 2]

The unrest in these countries seems to be about politics. But there are deep-seated economic conflicts and external factors as well. Since Saddam Hussein's regime was brought down, Iraq's economy has not been growing much. The difficulty in finding employment is notable among young people, as the official figure for youth unemployment is 25%. The IMF's estimate is even higher. Despite the turbulence, the southern part of Iraq mainly populated by the Shiites has remained relatively stable since the war. But it has become the cradle of the unrest this time, marking the segmentation of the Shiites. The invasion by the US army has failed to bring about economic prosperity to Iraq, but has instead plunged southern Iraq, the last oasis of peace in the region, into turmoil. The facade of democracy is completely shattered.

[ENG audio 3]

The world today is in the throes of momentous change unseen in a hundred years. Illustrious economic statistics are unsustainable unless they are supported by fairness and justice in society. Those in government have to be able to foresee the future when trying to grasp public sentiment, and should seize the golden opportunity to respond to it. This is applicable not only to developing countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Indonesia and Ecuador, but also to France, Hong Kong and other developed regions. This is what the people in power as well as leaders in society should be well aware of and alert to.

[ENG audio 4]

乾柴烈焰星火燎原 多國示威共同特點

在伊拉克,歷時一周的全國大示威,已造成110人死亡、逾6000人受傷;在埃及,連續3個星期五的抗爭活動,已導致逾3000人被拘捕;在印尼,上月的大學生抗爭和種族騷亂也導致30多人死亡、300多人受傷,有逾百人被捕;而在南美洲厄瓜多爾,激烈的抗議示威,已經迫使政府部門要撤出首都,宣布60日的緊急狀態和宵禁,拘捕了數以百計的人……環顧全球,似乎烽煙四起,發生在香港街頭的一幕,正在亞非拉美多處重演。這些抗爭衝突,既有各地不同特色背景,又帶有全球化共同的時代特徵,足以引起世界各國當政者引以為鑑。

[PTH audio 1]

上述各國爆發示威的誘因各不相同,印尼是大學生抗議政府將同性戀、婚外性行為、墮胎及侮辱總統等刑事化的「惡法」,以及修例削減反貪機構的權力;伊拉克是因打擊ISIS功勳卓著、被視為國家英雄的反恐將領被撤職;埃及則是因為網上一名自稱是承包商的男子在社交網絡發布短片,指總統塞西夫婦涉嫌濫用基建資金,在總統府、別墅和酒店浪費大量公帑,就掀起軒然大波。厄瓜多爾騷亂表面起因是政府取消燃油價格補貼的經濟原因,其實也緣於現任總統與其舊盟友、前任總統分道揚鑣,引發左右之爭,右傾化的現總統聽從了國際貨幣基金組織(IMF)的緊縮建議,而與前總統的支持者爆發衝突。

[PTH audio 2]

這些國家的紛亂表面源於政治,但都有深層次的經濟矛盾和外部因素,推翻薩達姆政權後,伊拉克經濟並未有長足進步,年輕人就業問題突顯,青年失業率官方數字達25%,IMF估計數字更高。戰後伊拉克雖動盪不安,但什葉派聚居的南部地區較為穩定,今次卻禍起蕭牆,成為動亂發源地,標誌着什葉派的分裂。美軍的入侵既未給伊拉克帶來經濟繁榮,反令伊南最後一片穩定綠洲陷入動盪,這個「民主樣板」已徹底坍塌。

[PTH audio 3]

在百年未有之大變局的當今世界,亮麗的經濟數據若沒有配合社會的公平正義,是難以持久的,而當政者對民情民意的掌握更要具有前瞻性,在回應時更要及時避免錯過黃金時機。這不限於埃及、伊拉克、印尼、厄瓜多爾這些發展中國家,觀乎法國、香港等發達地區,亦可印證,各國當權者和社會領袖對此要有足夠的認知與警惕。

[PTH audio 4]

明報社評2019.10.14