Page 6 - aruba-today-20201112

A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 12 November 2020
Hong Kong's pro-democracy lawmakers to resign en masse

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong In recent months, Beijing
Kong's pro-democracy has increasingly clamped
lawmakers announced down on Hong Kong, which
Wednesday they would it took back control of in
resign en masse after four 1997, despite promising at
of them were ousted from the time to leave the terri-
the semiautonomous Chi- tory's more open legal and
nese territory's Legislature in economic systems intact
a move one legislator said for 50 years until 2047.
could sound the "death Beijing imposed a national
knell" for democracy there. security law in June that
The resignation of the 15 some have labeled draco-
remaining pro-democracy nian after anti-government
lawmakers will ratchet up protests rocked the city for
tensions over the future of months last year, and it has
Hong Kong, a former British used it to crackdown on
colony that has long been opposition voices.
a regional financial hub In response, the U.S. lev-
and bastion of Western- eled sanctions on several
style civil liberties but over officials, including Hong
which China's government Kong's pro-Beijing leader,
has increasingly tightened Hong Kong's pro-democracy legislators pose for a photo before a press conference at Legislative several Western countries
its control. A new nation- Council in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020. have suspended their ex-
al security law imposed Associated Press tradition treaties with the
by Beijing this year has territory, and Australia
alarmed the international government said it was dis- forces to interfere in the stand!" The phrase "add oil" and Britain offered Hong
community. qualifying the four legisla- city's affairs should be dis- is a direct translation of a Kongers easier paths to set-
The mass departure will also tors — Alvin Yeung, Dennis qualified. Chinese expression of en- tle in those countries.
leave Hong Kong's Legis- Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Ken- "Today we will resign from couragement. Britain said Wednesday
lature with only pro-Beijing neth Leung. our positions because our "This is an actual act by Bei- that the decision to remove
lawmakers, who already The ousters came after Chi- partners, our colleagues jing ... to sound the death the lawmakers raises further
made up a majority but na's National People's Con- have been disqualified by knell of Hong Kong's de- concerns.
can now pass bills favored gress Standing Committee the central government's mocracy fight because "This campaign to harass,
by Beijing without much passed a resolution this ruthless move," Wu Chi- they would think that, from stifle and disqualify demo-
opposition. week saying that any law- wai, the leader of the pro- now on, anyone they found cratic opposition tarnishes
The lawmakers told a news maker who supports Hong democracy camp, told re- to be politically incorrect China's international repu-
conference they would Kong's independence, porters. or unpatriotic or are sim- tation and undermines
submit their letters of res- refuses to acknowledge During the news confer- ply not likable to look at, Hong Kong's long-term
ignation on Thursday. The China's sovereignty over ence, the lawmakers held they could just oust you us- stability," Foreign Secretary
announcement came the city, threatens national hands and chanted, "Hong ing any means," lawmaker Dominic Raab said in a
hours after the Hong Kong security, or asks external Kong add oil! Together we Claudia Mo told reporters. statement. q

6-year-old WWII French Resistance agent honored at long last

to the war dead in Aixe-sur- supplies in a field nearby. A newspaper Le Figaro quot-
Vienne, a town of less than street was named after the ed Bremaud as saying.
6,000 in central France, father, code-named Athos, But songs weren't what
near his zone of operation. four years ago for leading would take his life. A sensi-
He is among the fallen be- the liberation of the town. tive Sten automatic pistol
ing honored Wednesday, Marcel, the youngest of dropped from a parachute
when France commemo- five children, was put to of arms and munitions
rates the Nov. 11, 1918 ar- work helping fighters with into a field let off a spray
mistice ending World War an array of tasks. He could, of gunfire when the arms
I and pays homage to all for instance, slip away to were being distributed on
those who have died for nearby farms to pass mes- Aug. 19, 1944.
the nation. sages, according to ac- Marcel was hit and died.
The little boy lived at the counts published by a rela- The day before, his father
heart of the "army of the tive, Alexandre Bremaud. had led a rout of the ene-
shadows," as Resistance Nicknamed Quinquin by my converging on Aixe-sur-
This photo provided by the Bremaud family shows the Resis- fighters were known, led Resistance fighters, from a Vienne. "Very touched by
tance card of Marcel Pinte. from London by Gen. children's song in northern the disappearance of his
Associated Press Charles de Gaulle and on France where he was born, son ... the commander did
the ground in his patch of he served as a veritable li- not change plans and con-
By ELAINE GANLEY of 6, likely France's young- France by his father, Eu- aison agent, but he also tinued encircling (nearby)
Associated Press est member of the Resis- gene Pinte, a local Resis- was a child. Limoges with his troops,"
PARIS (AP) — Quinquin, his tance fighting occupying tance chief who set up an "There was a bit of carefree- read a speech delivered
code name, followed or- Nazis during World War II. operations center at a farm ness because of his age. A by Bremaud and another
ders, crossing enemy lines Marcel Pinte has only re- outside Aixe-sur-Vienne. His resident told his father to family relative, Marc Pinte,
to pass messages if need- cently been getting his due. farmhouse received cod- be careful because Mar- for the inauguration in 2016
ed. In the end he was killed Just last week his name was ed messages from London, cel sometimes sang songs of the street named Eu-
by friendly fire, at the age inscribed on a monument and parachute drops of learned from fighters," the gene Pinte.q