If Carrie Lam has any love for Hong Kong, she must clean up her political mess to break the cycle of violence

Since the mob attack in Yuen Long last month, the anti-extradition protest has transformed into a massive anti-government movement. The alleged collusion between the police and gangsters has angered the majority of Hong Kong people. Civil servants and professionals from different fields have stepped up and protested against the government.

When even civil servants are protesting, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s goose is cooked. If, in the end, Beijing has no choice but to intervene and prematurely terminate “one country, two systems”, seven million Hongkongers, without exception, will suffer.

In past weeks, the social movement has evolved from large-scale protests to guerilla operations across different districts. Rallies, assemblies and protests have ended in violent confrontations between protesters and police. At one end, protesters have tried to bring the city to a standstill by blocking main roads and setting fires in streets.

At the other end, the police have drastically escalated the use of force to clear crowds. A large number of people have been arrested, sometimes unreasonably. Protesters and police are locked in a vicious circle.

No one wants to see Hong Kong reaching a dead end. Given that the current political crisis is a mess made by Lam, she should be the one cleaning it up. First things first, she must stop hiding behind the police and start addressing the demands of the people.

If the police continue to use force, the city will only become more divided. The government must avoid a replay of the “228 incident”, an uprising in Taiwan that was brutally crushed by Kuomintang troops. If something like that were to happen in Hong Kong, the hatred of the government and the Communist Party would last for generations and there would be no way back.

Hong Kong police given carte blanche to suppress unrest

Second, Lam should sincerely apologise to the general public for her serious misjudgments and bad decisions. It would be challenging to meet all the protesters’ demands; however, there is a clear consensus across the political spectrum on the need to withdraw the extradition bill and conduct an independent investigation into police conduct. Yet, mystifyingly, “withdraw” seems to be the hardest word for Lam.

Many of Hong Kong’s elites – Andrew Li Kwok-nang, among others – are in favour of setting up an independent commission of inquiry. The commission should not only investigate police conduct and allegations of police collusion, but also look into the roots of the turmoil to help policymaking in future.

Furthermore, to end the cycle of violence and make a clean slate, Benny Tai Yiu-ting has proposed declaring an amnesty for everyone involved in the clashes since June 12 – both protesters and police.

However, I must state that the gangsters who assaulted innocent civilians should not be pardoned. They must be arrested and prosecuted as soon as possible.

Also, the commission should be conferred the power to summon anyone during the investigation. The Independent Commission Against Corruption should facilitate the commission’s work, ensuring an open, transparent and fair investigation. Former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen would be a suitable candidate for chairman of the commission.

Neither violence nor Beijing can fix Hong Kong’s problems

Investigations aside, Lam should dismiss the incompetent Executive Council. It is in need of a thorough restructuring. People with credibility should step up. Government officials who fail in their jobs must resign. This is the first step towards rebuilding the government’s authority.

Lam is a Hongkonger too. If she loves the city even a little, she should show courage and start solving problems. Unfortunately, her press conference on the general strike on Monday was a big nothing, as she provided no solutions. Instead, she has done a Leung Chun-ying by condemning the movement as a challenge to Beijing’s power. Her motive is obvious: she is standing with Beijing, no matter what.

It is sickeningly clear that Lam is selfishly and ruthlessly sacrificing Hong Kong’s future for her own political fortune. If she has even a tiny bit of conscience, she must act to stop the violence across the city and jump-start open dialogue with the general public.

Albert Cheng King-hon is a political commentator. [email protected]