Pro-democracy自由民主浪潮

Pro-democracy 自由民主浪潮

即使疫情還在延燒，但近期從亞洲的香港、泰國到歐洲的白俄羅斯、西班牙接連爆發大規模抗議活動，即使反對政府的理由不同，但初衷都是為「自由」而戰，無論來自哪裡，人民都應享有參政、言論、工作、經濟自由…等權力，在威權及暴力之下，他們無權害怕。

keyword

critic（n.）評批者

political impasse（n.）政治僵局

dictator（n.）獨裁者

impunity（n.）有罪不罰

corruption（n.）貪污、腐敗

solidarity （n.）團結一致

Bangkok Post：

泰國學生不忍了，怒吼：「重修憲法、解散議會、釋放異議人士」

More than 12,000 student-led protesters gathered at Bangkok's Democracy Monument on 8/16 to ask the government to quit. Speakers at the rally, held by the student-led Free People group, reaffirmed their three demands: the dissolution of the House, the writing of a new constitution, and an end to the harassment of government critics. They also reiterated their opposition to a coup or the formation of a "national unity" government to end the political impasse."Free People is now not limited only to students, but also includes people from different aspects of society, ranging from artists and labourers to people from all walks of life" it said. 

BBC news：

白俄羅斯總統「佔位」26年，血腥鎮壓抗議者

As the "last dictator in Europe”, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term in office in a disputed election, prompting protesters to take to the streets in cities across the country. More than 100,000 people gathered in the capital, Minsk, to express opposition to his rule, and it was the largest protest held in Belarus since it declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Hundreds of protesters have been wounded and two have died in clashes with police during the post-election protests. Thousands have been arrested, and many have spoken of torture at the hands of security forces.

Latinousa：

不滿政府作法，千名阿根廷人上街抗議司法改革

Thousands of Argentines gathered around the country on 8/17 to protest the government’s judicial reform, the economic slowdown, and the extension of the coronavirus lockdown which has been in place for over 150 days. Rallying around the hashtag #17ASalimosTodos, protesters marched in Buenos Aires and other cities in the country’s interior. President Alberto Fernández said his judicial reform bill seeks to restore credibility to the judiciary by increasing the number of federal judges and merging together the judges from criminal and corporate law. However, opponents say the reform will offer impunity to government officials. This was the second protest against the reform in Buenos Aires this month. Of the four nationwide protests that have happened during the pandemic, this one was the largest.

TRT world：

西班牙前國王醜聞纏身流亡，抗議者要求解散君主制

Protesters have called for an end to the Spanish monarchy after the sudden departure of the former king, Juan Carlos, from the country on August amid a corruption scandal. Juan Carlos ascended to the throne in 1975 upon the death of the fascist dictator Francisco Franco and was a popular figure for decades playing a key role in the democratic transition from the Franco dictatorship which ruled Spain from 1939-1975. Marred by scandals in the later years of his reign, Juan Carlos lost immunity from prosecution that Spain’s Constitution grants to heads of state. "We have to clean up the system of corruption and we should start with the crown," said from the protester who was among about a hundred protesters in Madrid. Protests against the royal family have spread across Spain since the ex-monarch's dramatic exit. 

Reuters：

守護自由，香港、台灣、泰國組成亞洲民主奶茶聯盟

As Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates voiced support for Thai anti-government protests, they used the hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance. In Taipei, dozens of people gathered to back the Thai protests and give weight to a nascent community of cross-border youth movements pushing for democracy at home and unease with China’s growing regional power. Meanwhile in Bangkok, flags representing Hong Kong and Taiwan appeared on a sign bearing the tag at the demonstrations. Milk tea, the light-hearted name represents a shared passion for sweet tea drinks in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.“The Milk Tea Alliance became the common ground from which we can express our solidarity” Singaporean blogger and activist Roy Ngerng told Reuters.

本文收錄於英語島English Island 2020年9月號
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