Desmond Tutu urges support for Hong Kong protests

Johannesburg, Oct 1 (IANS/EFE) South African Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu Wednesday called on all those who believe in democracy to support the student-led protests demanding that genuinely democratic elections be held in Hong Kong.

"I salute the courage of the hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens who have participated in mass demonstrations in the territory in recent days to assert peacefully their right to have a say in the election of their leaders," Tutu said in a statement issued by his foundation.

"Their struggle is one that all who believe in the principles of democracy and justice should support," added Tutu, who rose to worldwide fame as an anti-apartheid fighter in the 1980s.

The Anglican leader, who is 82 and still an active voice in the human rights movement, criticised security forces for firing teargas at the demonstrators Sunday, saying that "it was a bitter blow to what many still hope will be a peaceful, inclusive and dignified transformation process".

Thousands of people have been demonstrating in Hong Kong, demanding free elections in 2017 after the Chinese government announced in August that it would not allow completly open balloting.

--IANS/EFE

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