Rivals Say Bill Is Not Dead, More Protests Planned

Major opponents of the extradition bill have rejected the Chief Executive Carrie Lam's assertion that the controversial bill is dead and the organisers of the mass rallies said they will be staging new protests over the issue.

Pro-democracy legislators said Lam has offered nothing new and it's time for her to quit. The camp's convenor, Claudia Mo, said saying the bill is dead is meaningless.

She said a person who dies can not be resurrected. "But an object may always be remade, come in the form of a new model," Mo said.

The opposition lawmaker said Carrie lam should step down now and give the youth a second chance instead of going after them over the protests.

Demosisto leader Joshua Wong dubbed Lam's declaration that “the bill is dead” as a "ridiculous lie to the people of Hong Kong".

"The bill still exists in the 'legislative programme' until July next year," Wong wrote in a tweet.

The Civil Human Rights Front which organised the rallies last month which saw millions take to the street, said they will be discussing about new protests to be held soon.

The front accused the Chief Executive of being hypocritical, saying though she declared she’s willing to listen to young people’s views, the top official has not accepted any of their five demands.

"As for the extradition bill, she refused to say the word 'withdraw'," said front’s vice convenor Bonnie Leung, referring to the key demand of the protesters.

"The extradition bill being put in the Legislative Council is a very legal, very formal procedure. However, she only said that the bill is dead. We cannot find the word 'dead' in any of the laws in Hong Kong or legal proceedings in the Legislative Council," Leung said.

She questioned how people can accept the government's words on the rule of law, when the CE herself is not upholding this principle.

The front said if Lam had announced a withdrawal of the bill earlier, there wouldn't have been as many sacrifices by the people. It accused the Chief Executive of being willing to sacrifice others to save face.

The front's convenor Jimmy Sham said Lam should see a psychiatrist herself as she is failing to understand that she’s the root problem.

He said the Chief Executive shapes the future of Hong Kong, but Lam has refused to return hope to young people and instead pushing them into despair.

The person who needs counselling the most in an abuse case is the abuser, he said.

______________________________