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Protests Flare Over Communist ‘Brainwashing’ in Hong Kong
Students gather to denounce plans to establish a “National Education” curriculum in Hong Kong schools on Sept. 5. Protesters and supporters say that the program is essentially propaganda and revisionist history from the mainland, meant to indoctrinate students. (Pan Zaishu/The Epoch Times)
The school year in Hong Kong begun this week, but many residents are up in arms, holding a large week-long protest over a Chinese-required law they have described as an attempt to “brainwash” school-aged children, with demonstrations expected to expand next week at universities.
In recent days, thousands have gathered in front of government buildings in the former British colony, with some going on hunger strikes against the so-called “Moral and National Education” classes, which are going to be forced on schoolchildren.
The protests in front of the Tamar government building have yet to cease as of Thursday morning local time, reported Radio Television Hong Kong, and the demonstrators’ demands have not changed. Those who are leading the protests, the station said, are mostly teenagers, but adults have also taken part.
Police estimated that 6,300 demonstrators took part Wednesday, with one girl getting her head shaved in front of the crowd to show her determination to protest against the education plan.
In fact, these protests will likely get even bigger next week because university students have announced they would get in on the action, the Hong Kong Standard newspaper reported.
“We want to express our deep outrage and give support to those activists who are staging rallies against the implementation of national education at the Tamar site,” Wong Chi-siu, a leader with the Hong Kong Baptist University Student Union, told the paper. He said that more than 1,000 students will join.
Around eight protesters were still on a hunger strike as of Wednesday for an indefinite period. Some have been on the strike since last Friday.
“No discussion can be considered sincere if the government doesn’t shelve the plan,” one protester, who was not named, told the publication.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has refused to budge in light of the protesters demands, saying that Hong Kong will implement the education plan, even though it has faced widespread opposition.
Carrie Lam, the Chief Secretary for Administration in Hong Kong, told protesters to join a newly formed government committee to air their grievances, but said the education plan would not be dissolved.
In a letter published several months ago, the Hong Kong Education Bureau said that “national education” comprises “20 percent of the content” that will be taught to students.
But protesters and those who oppose the plan say that Hong Kong educators would be teaching revisionist history disseminated by the Chinese Communist Party that has been described essentially as propaganda. The curriculum, its opponents have said, mirrors the patriotic education taught to students in mainland China and promotes the Communist Party, does not mention events including the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989, and criticizes democracy.
Shi Cangshan, a China expert in Washington D.C., told The Epoch Times that the protests against the education plan amounts to being against the Chinese Communist Party.
“In the past two years, the Chinese communist regime has become increasingly unpopular and its credibility is in decline,” he said. “Opinions expressed on the Internet have overwhelmingly … criticized policies of the regime.”
“Hong Kong’s anti-brainwashing movement is of utmost importance not only for Hong Kong residents, but for people in mainland China.”
In recent months, protests have flared in Hong Kong over the national education plan, with tens of thousands marching in late July.
With reporting by Lin Zhen & Li Zhen.
Read the original Chinese article.
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Click www.ept.ms/ccp-crisis to read about the most recent developments in the ongoing crisis within the Chinese communist regime. In this special topic, we provide readers with the necessary context to understand the situation. Get the RSS feed. Who are the Major Players? 
2012-09-05 21:36:14
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