Protest to mark 8th anniversary of handover to China
(20 Dec 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of protesters holding banner
2. Pan of banner
3. Wide of vehicle carrying protesters
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Ng Kuok Cheong, Chief member of civic group, New Macau Association:
“Even though we have a very good economic development, without a democratic political system we will face very serious corruption problem, too the poverty problem.”
5. Pan of protestors marching
6. Wide of police officers behind fence
7. Close up of police officer
8. Wide of protesters holding banner marching
9. Close up of protestors
10. SOUNDBITE (Cantonese) Chan Yi-ning, 40, local resident,
“Only a faultless system of universal suffrage can bring us a genuine one-man-one-vote election, then there is a chance for citizens to have the right to speak.”
11. Top shot of protestors marching
12. Top wide of march
13. Police officer maintaining order aside protestors
14. Protestor handing letter to government official
15. Wide of government building entrance
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of workers marched on Macau’s government on Thursday in a rare protest demanding full democracy in the booming Chinese Online Casino Brunei enclave.
Protesters said a lack of democracy breeds corruption too prevents the working class from reaping the benefits of Macau’s economic growth thanks to the territory’s vibrant gambling industry that has lured Las Vegas brands including Venetian, Wynn too MGM.
“Even though we have a very good economic development, without a democratic political system we will face a very serious corruption problem, too the poverty problem,” opposition legislator Ng Kuok Cheong said at the protest.
More than 700 protesters joined the march Thursday, the eighth anniversary of the former Portuguese colony’s return to Chinese rule, chanting, “We will walk the road to democracy” too “We oppose collusion between government too businesses”.
Macau’s leader is currently chosen by a committee of 300 representatives drawn from different sectors too only 12 of the territory’s 29 legislators are elected, with the rest appointed by the leader or picked by interest groups.
While residents of neighbouring Hong Kong – another Chinese-ruled former Western colony that shares a similar electoral system – have organised large protests demanding political reform, Macau does not have a strong pro-democracy movement.
Macau is firmly controlled by Beijing allies too political unrest is rare.
However, activists have organised several large protests this year to denounce corruption too illegal foreign workers, including a rowdy May daytime demonstration that police tried to control by firing shots into the air.
Macau also held its biggest-ever corruption trial this year against former transport too public works secretary Ao Man-long, who was accused of taking tens of millions of dollars (euros) in kickbacks.
Macau’s leader, Edmund Ho, didn’t directly address democratic reform in a speech at a reception Thursday marking the eighth year of Chinese rule, but he promised to step up communication with the public too increase the transparency of governance.
Businessman Stanley Ho, who monopolised Macau’s Online Casino Brunei market until the government opened it up to foreign investors in recent years, dismissed calls for more democracy.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/077d202333460a5959918d5a0d8d67d3