From my comfortable flat on Elgin Street, I sit down to write about a situation which has captivated the world media for now some months. I am in a wet, soggy Hong Kong (HK). A bustling metropolis I have only just discovered since arriving a week ago. The air is heavy with humidity as recent typhoon Wipha had just paid a visit during Thursday whipping up some strong gusts and intermittent showers.

I arrived from Singapore on Saturday the 27th of July. Skimming rapidly through my destination’s local news on my smart-phone revealed a large gathering of protesters at HK airport that morning. HK for the past few months has been and continues to be beset by protests. Protests originating from the feared handing over of the small islands authority from the British to the Chinese back in 1997. The increasingly oppressive nature of Beijing’s regime exploded with the controversial extradition bill imposed by HK Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in May of 2019.

For us to properly understand what is happening in HK, we must understand it’s context. A long time liberal refuge from an oppressive Chinese regime with an estimated 150 arriving from mainland China daily seeking a better life in a liberal HK. The metropolis arguably a global exception is intensely multicultural, encourages innovation, freedom and liberalism, a clear thorn in Beijing’s side.

The night that followed my arrival, the world’s media were covering the unfolding horror in the streets of HK. Friend’s from UK, USA, Mauritius were constantly messaging me: are you ok? Are you safe? What is happening? Curious of nature, my initial reaction was to witness what was happening, I promptly contacted my parents and Nad back in Mauritius to seek advice as it was reported that anyone wishing to cover the protests had to be fully equipped with helmet, gas mask and stab proof vests, I had none of these items. A rapid conversation with my father, I was ordered to stay well away from possible harm but adopt a safer approach by contacting local activists.

I did just that and met with two locals, Helena S.Y. Yuen, solicitor, Just of Peace Accredited Mediator / Supervisor and Albert Ho Chun-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. Their insights into what was happening was clear, Hong Kong have and always will fight against the authoritarian regime of China. Both were busy and getting busier with Beijing’s heavy handed approach namely but not exclusively:

1.The unlawful and unjustified approach of both the local police and judicial system in arrests and trials of the local protesters.

2.The proper upkeep of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

3. A local government rooted in HK to serve the One Country, Two Systems principle.

Conversations with both Helena and Albert were lengthy and couldn’t help noticing the passion with which they spoke, how they wanted to fight to keep their beloved HK free. These varied from the pride they felt for the young protesters, protesters in Helena’s mind that had nothing to lose with the increasing economic disparity, unattainable housing prices which keep skyrocketing, climate change resulting in erratic local meteorological occurrences, the evident rise in corruption in neighbouring China following Xi Jinping’s desire to control all decision making processes.

These disparities are clear and here in HK have become a generational battle. Suicide rates have increased substanstially over these past years here. On one side, parents unable to comprehend the youths fervour, on the other, a protest ready youth. What is there left for the latter to look forward to?

This point struck a chord and also resonates not only in HK but globally. Why should the youth continue to bear the consequences of a broken system? A system that in the coming decades will lead to rising temperatures, the melting of our polar ice caps and to be precise an unlivable conditions across the equatorial belt?

I mentioned to Albert how we, far away in our tiny island of Mauritius witnessed the impact of Beijing through their Belt and Road Initiative. Aiding our current Mauritian government to monitor our population leading to the introduction of some 4,000 cameras able to monitor citizens via facial recognition cameras while the details of the contract itself was never made public. On this subject, HK protesters have successfully disrupted these cameras by pointing lasers at them:

Hong Kong protestors are on another level. Here they’re using lasers to avoid facial recognition cameras. A cyber war against Chinese artificial intelligence. pic.twitter.com/t1hIczr5Go

— Alessandra (@alessabocchi) July 31, 2019

Equally impressive has been the novel way in which the protesters have been organising themselves by using instant messaging platforms namely Telegram. Unsurprisingly, China has been launching state sponsored attacks in an attempt to sabotage these platforms. An article posted via the New York Times outlined such cases in June. Instant responses from the protesters have been synchronised perfectly to the point where foreign observers ‘les gilets jaunes’ are in HK to learn these strategies.

In the long term, we can imagine the protests may give ideas to people in mainland China (see propaganda video in response to the HK protests). A chaotic situation that would be for Beijing however HK remains an economical heavy weight to be reckoned with if not envied by the mainland. Multinationals abound, the multicultural nature of the city is home to a broad spectrum of nationals including French, Spanish, Italian,  British, Haitian, American, German, Philipino to name just a few. The food variety is breathtaking and more importantly, the once foreign newcomers feel integrated to the fabric of HK’s society.

To conclude this article, I cannot help but think that HK is a glimpse into our not so distant future. A future rampant with disparity, a future controlled by a category of the population wishing not to rock the proverbial boat. If that is indeed the case: what exactly do the adults of tomorrow have to look forward too?

I would like to thank Helena and Albert for the time they took out of their schedules in providing me their hope, their unflinching passion and their warmth. I hope that Hong Kong may continue to be a place of refuge from persecution.

P.S: You can listen to the complete audio extract of the 45mins interview with Albert Ho here :