【與民陣同行爭取人權民主自由，與有榮焉】－社民連就民陣被取締消息之聲明
【失業工人落井，劏房波下石】
【不要小圈選舉 立即全面普選】
全國人民代表大會在3月11日通過《有關完善香港選舉制度的決定草案》，9條《決定》內容為香港民主改革及「港人治港」打上最後一口棺材釘。表面上，選委會議席由現時1200人增至1500人，立法會議席由現時70席增至90席，彷似代表更多民間聲音能走入建制，但實際上，無論是新設的資格審查委員會，或是提高選委及立法會議員的提名門檻，又或是減少立法會直選議席比例，都必然將民主派排拒在建制之外，在在顯示中共此刻改制，乃急於掃除異見，粉飾太平。
這數天，港澳辦副主任張曉明來港聲言「聽取意見」，但政改的牢籠早已由全國人大副委員長王晨築好。王晨在解釋《草案》時已道明選舉改制的總體思路包括「賦予選舉委員會選舉產生較大比例的立法會議員和直接參與提名全部立法會議員候選人的新職能」及「建立全流程資格審查機制」，換言之，所謂聽意見充其量只不過是小修小補，閉門分餅。參選權和提名權牢牢掌握在中共之手，小圈子選舉變本加厲，政治制度倒退得比97年初期更差更壞，與《基本法》第45條所訂明的「循序漸進的原則」完全背道而馳。
2019年區議會選舉，接近300萬名選民投票，當時民主派以「五大訴求」為旗，建制派以「反暴力」為幟，結果民主派大勝建制派，以六四比的選票奪得388席及17個區議會主導權，港人爭普選，反暴政的民意清楚不過，無可置疑，然而中共及港府從未積極回應港人訴求，反而加強打壓，瘋狂搜捕，並設立《國安法》肅清異己，以「顛覆國家政權」罪將民主派大部份領袖拘控入獄，箝制言論，使港人噤若寒蟬。當下選舉改制，明顯因應民主派當年區選大勝所致，如今收緊民主派參政空間，不過是輸打贏要，堵塞言路，顛覆港人意願，顛覆選舉結果。
中共黨報《新華日報》在1944年2月2日的一篇名為《論選舉權》的社評提到：「真正的普選制，不僅選舉權要『普通』、『平等』。而且被選舉權也要『普通』、『平等』；不僅人民都要享有同等的選舉權，而且人民都要享有同等的被選舉權……唯一的標準就是能不能代表人民的意思和利害，是不是為人民所擁護，因而也就只有讓人民自己去選擇。如果事先限定一種被選舉的資格，甚或由官方提出一定的候選人，那麼縱使選舉權沒有被限制，也不過把選民做投票的工具罷了。」如今改制，先有資格審查，後有選委提名門檻，再由代表界別利益的選委壟斷朝政，真正的民意決不能透過選舉反映，不僅香港人的選舉權頓成紙上權利，代表界別利益的選委把持行政長官及立法會議員的提名權，選舉有可能成為私相授受的平台，港人的公共利益將被無視，甚至被出賣。
社民連今早特意前來表達意見，我們堅持「五大訴求」，亦相信此是大多數港人的共同意願，2019年選舉結果不容顛覆，人民意願不容推翻！權力歸於人民，我們要求中共撤回人大決定，撤銷參選審查機制，廢除小圈子選舉，舉行平等公開的雙普選！人權高於政權，人民大於國家！不要小圈選舉，立即全面普選！廢除國安惡法，釋放所有政治犯！
社會民主連線
二零二一年三月十六日
【The League of Social Democrats’ statement on Hong Kong’s New Electoral System,No More Small-Circle Elections! Universal Suffrage Now!】
On March 11th, the National People’s Congress adopted a Draft Decision on Improving the Electoral System of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The nine articles laid out in the decision deliver the final death blow to the city’s democratic aspirations, and to the principle of “Hong Kong People Ruling Hong Kong”. At first glance the decision appears to create a more representative legislature; it expands the membership of the Election Committee from 1200 to 1,500, and increases seats in the Legislative Council from 70 to 90.
But when examined more closely, it becomes clear that the proposed new laws effectively bar pro-democracy camp candidates from running and standing for office. Candidates will be required to pass through the vetting process of a new Candidate Qualification Review Committee, composed of pro-government stalwarts. This raises near-insurmountable barriers to nomination for both the Election Committee and the Legislature, Additionally, the number of directly elected legislative seats will be slashed to 20 of the 90 seats.
Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), recently visited Hong Kong, ostensibly to “hear the views” of Hong Kong people with respect to the electoral overhaul. But the electoral “reform” plan is a fait accompli; it already has been designed by Wang Chen, the Secretary-General of the NPC Standing Committee. The visit of Zhang Xiaoming to “hear the views” of Hong Kong people is merely a public show that will have no substantive effect on the new election mechanism.
During Wang Chen’s presentation of the Draft Decision, he explained that the Election Committee will not only participate in the nomination of all Legislative Council candidates, they will directly elect a large percentage of the legislators as well. A qualification review mechanism will also be established throughout the entire electoral process.
The right to be nominated and to participate in a Hong Kong election is now entirely under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. The erosion of Hong Kong’s political system is at its worst point since 1997. The rollback of political rights completely contradicts the principle of “gradual and orderly progress” outlined in article 45 of the Basic Law
Nearly three million Hong Kong people voted in the 2019 District Council Elections. The pro-democracy camp won by a landslide, gaining 60% of the seats (388 seats) and winning control of 17 out of 18 districts. The election results made it abundantly clear that a majority of Hong Kong people want universal suffrage and desire a greater voice in how their government, and their city, is run. Nevertheless, the CCP and Hong Kong government disregarded the public’s clear mandate. Instead, they responded to the election results by intensifying political suppression and arresting scores of citizens.
The National Security Law, imposed by the Central Government on Hong Kong last July 1, is being used as a sledgehammer against the pro-democracy opposition. On February 28th, 47 pro-democracy leaders were charged with “subversion” under the new law, an offense that carries the possibility of life imprisonment; 39 of these leaders are currently being held indefinitely in prison without bail. The latest electoral “reform” was obviously introduced to counter the huge success of the pro-democracy camp in the last District Council Election. The ultimate goal of this so-called reform is to reduce democratic representation and limit free speech. The democratic aspirations of the Hong Kong people have been rejected and all but obliterated.
A February 2, 1944 editorial in the Chinese Communist Party’s Xinhua News entitled “On The Right to Election” states that “real universal suffrage requires normality and fairness not just for the right to elect, but also for the right to be elected. People should have the right to elect, as well as the right to be elected. The only criterion is the effectiveness of the representation of the people’s opinions and interests, and whether the representation is supported by the people. The people must therefore be able to make their own choice. If the right to be elected is restricted by prior qualifications or even worse, if candidates are nominated by an official election committee, then voters are merely tools in the election even if the right to elect itself is not restricted.”
In the new electoral reform imposed by the Central Government on Hong Kong, an election committee dominated by special interest cliques like business, banking and trade will be screening all candidates standing for election. The committee will also exercise nomination barriers in this heavily manipulated system. Real public opinion cannot possibly be reflected through such an electoral process. Hong Kong people’s right to elect their representatives has become a farce.
The League of Social Democrats would like to take this opportunity to declare our views, and our unswerving commitment to the Hong Kong people. We continue to support the “Five Demands”, and believe that the majority of Hong Kongers are with us. The 2019 District Council Election results should not be overturned, and the people’s aspirations should be respected and not ignored. We demand that the Central Government withdraw the “electoral reform” decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, revoke the election candidate qualification review, abolish small-circle elections and implement fair and open public dual universal suffrage.
Human rights above political power, people before nation! Say no to small-circle elections, demand immediate universal suffrage. Abolish the draconian National Security Law, and release all political prisoners!
The League of Social Democrats
16 March 2021
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