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Oliver Chou

Expatriates from the democratic West have voiced a range of opinions about Occupy Central almost as varied as their nationalities.
From old-timers to recent arrivals, these men and women are mostly Hong Kong-based professionals but rarely speak out on local politics, much less give their quotes by name.
"Within the last two weeks our city has changed," said William Lane, an Australian and founder of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble in 2008.
"Before this time I had quite a passive attitude and didn't see it as affecting me and as being none of my business. But I believe these events do not allow you to sit on the fence," he said.
Like Lane, many said they were impressed with the generally non-violent nature among the student protesters.
"These kids showed us all a thing or two. Where else do protesters do homework and clean up after themselves?" asked Peter Gordon, an entrepreneur in Hong Kong for nearly 30 years.
The American said "it is hard not to be impressed by the honesty, civility, thoughtfulness and commitment on display" and "if these young people are Hong Kong's future, it has a bright one".
He added: "Hong Kong's 'soft power' just got a huge shot in the arm."
David Gwilt, an emeritus professor at the Chinese University, looked beyond the street scene.
"It seems that the students' protests are the outcome of a long, mishandled campaign by the pan-democrats here," said the Cambridge scholar, who has lived in Hong Kong more than 40 years.
"The anguish the striking students cause me is that they consistently demand more than it is possible for the government to provide ... I support the aspirations of the students, of course, but am not very hopeful that they will listen to the voice of reason when they hear it."
Mass protests brought many back to their past, and from that came a word of advice.
"I went to an anti-Vietnam war protest in Golden Gate Park in 1969 with one million people. I'll never forget the feeling of calm power coming from that crowd," said Alexis Alrich, a composer who arrived in 2007.
"Hong Kong people are pragmatic and will accept many versions of democracy, as long as they can keep their dignity," the American added.
Jane Houng, a British author based in Hong Kong, recalled her days in Beijing two decades ago and sounded an alarm.
"I witnessed the effects of Tiananmen while working in Beijing in the early 1990s and imagine how tempting it must be for our authorities to put down the students' potentially dangerous outpouring of discontent with force," said the writer.
Like her, David Parrish, a publishing group executive in Hong Kong, expressed the "fear that Beijing will not go further than they have already committed to". He added: "I worry that both sides are painting themselves into a corner which is dangerous, so I hope face-saving processes can be achieved for all parties."
The Hong Kong Philharmonic's Dutch music director Jaap van Zweden offered a downbeat to straighten out the discord.
"This is what I'd like to say to the government: emotions are there, acknowledge them, but don't act out of the emotions. Let it go down a little bit, sit down and see what are the needs and the wishes," he said.
 


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Occupy Central

Occupy protests: the view from Hong Kong's expat community

An expat takes pictures at Admiralty protest site. Photo: Dickson Lee

News

Hong Kong

Expatriates from the democratic West have voiced a range of opinions about Occupy Central almost as varied as their nationalities.
