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Protesters in Admiralty yesterday. The movement has been criticised for a lack of leadership. Photo: Robert Ng

Supporters urge Occupy protesters to unite amid mixed messages over talks

Supporters say leadership is needed as dispute over agenda threatens talks with officials; lawyers warn civil disobedience is 'no defence'

Pro-democracy groups were urged yesterday to form an alliance to better press their claims as a dispute threatened to derail talks with top officials scheduled for tomorrow.

Protesters also came under pressure from the Bar Association. The regulatory body for barristers, which last week said the police decision to used tear gas to clear the streets of Admiralty on September 28 was "excessive", warned protesters that civil disobedience did not constitute a defence to a criminal charge.

"Even on a sympathetic view of civil disobedience, it is essential for participants to respect the rights and freedoms of other people who do not necessarily agree with their views and not to cause excessive damage or inconvenience," it said in a statement.

Preparations for the dialogue between Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and student representatives appeared to take a step backwards as the two sides squabbled over the agenda.

The government said the Federation of Students' representatives agreed on Tuesday that constitutional development under the Basic Law would be on the agenda for the first round of talks.

But the federation's deputy secretary-general, Lester Shum, said the demand for the government to respond to Hongkongers' aspirations for democracy should be the "sole agenda".

A government source said there was only a slim chance of the meeting taking place tomorrow as "agenda and logistics … had not been sorted out".

The source also said officials were worried that a call by student activist group Scholarism for an occupation of Admiralty tomorrow to support student representatives at the meeting would "effectively spur occupation activities".

The dispute came amid signs of the city returning to normal. Kindergartens in Wan Chai and Central and Western districts will resume classes today.

The protests have been marred by lack of leadership.

boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying said key leaders of the protests were considering forming a single body to handle the rest of the campaign, which he said could "end the movement much faster and in a better way".

Writing on his blog yesterday, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun said the civil disobedience movement belonged to all Hong Kong people and he disputed the idea that students should take the lead.

The religious leader wrote: "Whether protesters should withdraw should be decided by an authoritative and representative alliance. [This] alliance should be responsible for negotiating with the government."

The Federation of Students, an umbrella group of tertiary student unions, has been playing a leading role in the protests, while co-founders of the Occupy Central movement have taken a back seat since declaring the launch of the campaign on September 28.

It was reported earlier that Occupy Central leaders had suggested retreating from protest sites, but the idea was opposed by the federation.

In an effort to put up a united front, the two groups said in a joint statement yesterday that they had maintained close co-operation. "Without any practical results coming from the Occupy movement, we hope students and citizens will choose to stay. We understand the cardinal's kind reminder and thank him for his concern for the students' personal safety."

Hunger striker Benny Mok Siu-man urged the organisers to form a committee to set priorities. "[The organisers] are afraid of being criticised for dominating the campaign. But I think they have overreacted."

He said that a committee of representatives from different groups would help move the campaign forward.

Harry's view

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Unite to break impasse, protesters are urged
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