Dialogue Move Will Not End Crisis: Chu Hoi-dick

Pro-democracy lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick told RTHK on Friday that a platform for dialogue that Chief Executive Carrie Lam is trying to set up will not resolve the current political crisis and called on the government to announce an independent inquiry, saying the parameters of the investigation could be decided later.

But former Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung, another guest on Friday’s edition of Backchat, said the proposed dialogue platform is precisely where people can come to a consensus on exactly what a potential future inquiry should investigate. She called the platform a “good step” towards such an inquiry.

The government has so far only announced that the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) will conduct a fact-finding study on the protest movement and give the government recommendations on the way forward.

Chu said pan-democrats have been asking Lam since March for a meeting with the CE to discuss their demands. He said most people blame the government’s response for the escalation in the protests, and now doubts are being raised about the future of the city and its freedoms.

Leung also said she respects the Chief Executive for not resigning despite the ballooning crisis.

The former secretary said the current administration made a mistake in failing to properly explain the extradition bill, but described the ongoing protests as a disproportionate response.

The government has said work on bill has stopped and the bill is dead, so protesters have achieved their purpose, and there’s no reason for further protest, she added.

But Leung said she would have accepted one of the protesters’ core demands – a full withdrawal of the extradition bill.

"If I were in the government, I would have done it. But the protesters have been saying you need to surrender to all five demands which they can't do. So I don't see any end to it," said Leung.

She also said it's difficult for the government to withdraw the bill as the Legco is in recess and it can be done only during the second reading.