LettersFor a Chilean student in Hong Kong, protests and uncertainty hit home

Expatriates in Hong Kong from countries rocked by unrest, like Chile, find their worry and attention split

The protests in both Hong Kong and Chile are the result of frustrations that run deeper than the immediate trigger of the unrest

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A demonstrator holding a Chilean flag walks towards an armoured police vehicle during an anti-government march in Santiago on October 22. Photo: AP

Published: 6:45am, 4 Nov 2019Updated: 6:45am, 4 Nov 2019

The last few months in Hong Kong have not been easy for anyone. There are foreigners here who have had to split their concern, actions and attention between the current context in Hong Kong and the sociopolitical context in their countries of origin. As a Chilean, I feel compelled to share with Hongkongers what is happening in what was once believed to be the most developed country in Latin America.

In response to social mobilisations across Chile, the president declared a state of emergency and curfew in major cities that lasted over a week. The movement started on October 6 with a massive invasion of the subway system by high school students in protest against a small fare increase. This was just the spark that blew the lid off 30 years of frustration.

Today, Chileans are pressing for structural changes in the neo-liberal model established during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973-1990). The demands of the emergent and leaderless movement are not clearly defined yet. However, some of them include:

A new political constitution: The current legal text was enforced during the dictatorship without deliberation. Among other shortcomings, it does not acknowledge the indigenous groups of the country, gives strong powers to the president and does not declare health and education as rights.

Modification in the sanitation system: Chile has an entirely privatised water and sanitation system.

Overhauling the pension system: Although it has been a model for other economies, and even discussed in relation to Hong Kong, half of those who have contributed to the pension scheme for 30-35 years receive less than the minimum legal income.