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Weeks after the protest camps were cleared, Federation of Students leaders Alex Chow (second from left) and Lester Shum (second from right) are turning their attention to the studies they have put aside in the fight for universal suffrage. Photo: Sam Tsang

Student protest leaders Chow and Shum get back to their studies

Student activists Alex Chow and Lester Shum take time to reflect on academic careers - and the lessons for future democracy campaigns

With the Occupy sit-ins at an end, student leaders are looking to the future - not just for the pro- democracy movement but also for their academic lives.

Weeks after the protest camps were cleared, Federation of Students leaders Alex Chow Yong-kang and Lester Shum are turning their attention to the studies they have put aside in the fight for universal suffrage.

"I need to settle down and reflect on the movement," Shum said. "I want to complete my degree before deciding what I want to do in future."

Shum, who still has two years left of his politics course at the Chinese University, says he realises he needs a solid foundation of knowledge to analyse problems such as Hong Kong's relations with Beijing, as well as models for social movements.

While he is "not ready" to run for election and does not plan to join a political party, Shum may organise a new group to give young people a platform to express their views and take action.

"The Umbrella Movement has exposed the weak organisational ability of civil groups," Shum said. "We can't just rely on the federation alone."

While the protesters were committed, Shum noted, participating groups were unable to form a strong alliance to mobilise people efficiently.

Shum said it was important to set up a group with stronger organisational capabilities, and he was prepared to share his experience from the movement.

Chow agreed that the student group's leadership suffered from a lack of experience. "We were not able to respond quickly to the change of sentiments in the Occupy zones. There's also room for improved communications with protesters," Chow said.

For example, the students and the three founders of the Occupy Central movement had to abandon a plan for an electronic vote at the three main protest zones.

Chow said they had been unable to convince protesters of the point of the vote - to set the way forward for the protests.

Despite failing to change the government's political reform plans, Chow does not see the movement as a failure.

"The movement has transformed the culture of protest in Hong Kong," said Chow. "Young people no longer focus on their own career and social life. They have come out and organised themselves in different ways. And middle-aged people are willing to back up their next generation."

Like Shum, Chow is now giving more thought to his academic life as he enters the last semester of his University of Hong Kong course. But he will not be disengaged from the social movement and will support the next round of elected federation leaders.

Shum and Chow have become big names, with fans coining the portmanteau name "Alexter" and setting up Facebook pages dedicated to the pair.

But Shum is surprised by how little attention has been paid to one personal aspect - his US citizenship - especially amid claims that the movement's leaders colluded with "external forces".

"I am emotionally attached to Hong Kong and my identity is a Hongkonger," he insisted. "The [US] passport is not very important to me. I will not flee this place to escape my legal or political responsibility."

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Protest leaders get back to studies
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