In light of the very critical social condition, Robert Chung the Director of Public Opinion Programme (POP) at The University of Hong Kong hereby makes these calls:
- The organizers and participants of current mass movement should remember that their original target was to strive for democracy through peaceful and rational deliberations, plus citizen authorization amidst mutual respect. If they drift away from these targets, they will lose public support.
- The POP Team has been working over the past 22 years to develop a “civil referendum” system which can help to resolve social conflicts through peaceful and rational means. This system can be used in Hong Kong territorywide, or restricted to venues of mass gatherings.
- If participants of mass gatherings can resolve their conflicts on site via rational deliberations and direct democracy, while respecting different opinions inside and outside of their venues, this would be a perfect lesson of civic education. Crises would then become opportunities.
- Obviously all suggestions and proposals could become subjects of oppression and smearing, but if we truly believe that democracy is the way out, that love and peace is the root of the campaign, then we should be courageous enough to tell the world, with all our perseverance and nobility, what we truly believe in, and let history judge whether we are right or wrong.
Robert Chung, Director of POP |
