HONG KONG: Hundreds of people protested in Hong Kong on Wednesday to denounce Cathay Pacific Airways for dismissing crew taking part in or supporting anti-government rallies that have swept the Chinese-ruled city for weeks.
The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) switched the protest venue, originally planned to be outside the airline’s airport headquarters, Cathay City, to the central financial district after police refused permission.
The airport was forced to close two weeks ago after protesters thronged the arrivals hall for days, grounding about 1,000 flights and occasionally clashing with police.
Cathay was targeted for sacking 20 pilots and cabin crew and what staff have described as “white terror,” a phrase used to describe anonymous acts that create a climate of fear.
“Revoke termination, stop terrorizing CX staff,” proclaimed a black banner in English at the protest site where at least 2,000 gathered peacefully. “Uphold our freedom of speech.”
CX is airline code for Cathay.
The airline has been caught in the crosswinds between authorities in Beijing and protesters who have staged sometimes violent demonstrations since June that have grown into the biggest challenge for authorities in the former British colony since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
China has denounced the protests and accused the United States and Britain of interfering in its affairs in Hong Kong. It has sent a clear warning that forceful intervention is possible.
Rebecca Sy, former head of a flight attendants’ association, said she was fired without explanation after managers saw her Facebook account.
“We never faced any disciplinary action from the company before. How come now they just terminate me without any valid reason? By simply showing me those printouts of my own private Facebook account?“
’NO GROUND FOR COMPROMISE’
China’s aviation regulator demanded Cathay suspend staff from flying over its airspace if they were involved in, or supported, the demonstrations. At least 20 pilots and cabin crew have since been fired, the HKCTU said.
Cathay’s director for corporate affairs, James Tong, said the Civil Aviation Administration of China had issued a directive “with regards to new safety and security measures” with which the airline was bound to comply.
“We fully support the upholding of the Basic Law and all the rights and freedoms afforded by it. At the same time, we are also required to adhere to all of our regulatory duties, including those prescribed by the authorities in mainland China. The airline must do this; there is no ground for compromise.”
The Basic Law is the mini-constitution under which Hong Kong is ruled.
The protests in the Asian financial hub have posed the biggest challenge for Communist Party rulers in Beijing since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
Unrest escalated in mid-June over a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts.
It has since evolved into calls for greater democracy under the “one country, two systems” formula under which Hong Kong has been administered since 1997, guaranteeing freedoms that include an independent judiciary.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, attending a ceremony celebrating the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, said “we must stop violence” by the rule of law.
“Facing the current escalation of violence and the massive destructive actions by radical demonstrators, we must strengthen our confidence and act as a defender of ‘one country, two systems’,” she said.
But Lam has not ruled out the possibility of invoking emergency powers.
A mannequin dressed as a Cathay flight attendant held a sign saying “all five demands must be fulfilled,” referring to the broader protest calls to withdraw the extradition bill, set up an independent inquiry into complaints of police brutality, stop describing the protests as riots, waive charges against those arrested and resume political reform.
Thousands also gathered to protest against what demonstrators say is sexual violence by police. It has been dubbed the “#MeToo” rally and some wrote “#ProtestToo” on their arms with red lipstick.
Police said they respected the rights of people in detention and were aware of online “rumors” that a person had been sexually harassed, which they said were false.
Hong Kong is on the verge of its first recession in a decade, weighed down by the protests and a prolonged US-China trade war.
Hong Kong protesters denounce Cathay Pacific for firing cabin crew
Hong Kong protesters denounce Cathay Pacific for firing cabin crew
- Police said they respected the rights of people in detention and were aware of online “rumors” that a person had been sexually harassed, which they said were false
Pakistan rules out talks with Afghanistan, says more than 330 Afghan fighters killed in operations
- More than 330 Afghan fighters killed in operations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ruled out talks with Afghanistan until there is an end to “terrorism” emanating from Afghan soil, officials said on Friday. The statement follows the killing of more than 330 Afghan fighters in cross-border skirmishes this week.
The latest clashes between the neighbors erupted after Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory last weekend triggered retaliatory attacks along the border on Thursday, escalating long‑simmering tensions over Pakistan’s claim that Afghanistan shelters Pakistani Taliban militants. Afghanistan denies this, saying Pakistan is deflecting blame for its own security failures.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said his country had killed 331 Afghan fighters, destroyed over 100 posts and targeted 37 military locations across Afghanistan. Afghan officials have said more than 50 Pakistani soldiers have been killed and several Pakistan posts captured. Neither casualty figures nor battlefield claims by either side could be independently verified.
Meanwhile, Mosharraf Zaidi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson for foreign media, ruled out any talks with Afghanistan until Kabul addresses the issue, while the US expressed support for what it called Pakistan’s “right to defend itself” against attacks from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.
“There won’t be any talks, there is nothing to talk about ... Terrorism from Afghanistan has to end,” Zaidi told state-run Pakistan TV Digital, saying Islamabad would continue to target militant havens inside Afghanistan.
“Pakistan’s responsibility is to protect its citizens. If we know that there is a terrorist in point A and we know that there is a terrorist enabler at point A, we will find a weapon to land at point A and eliminate the threat.”
Zaidi said he did not expect Pakistan to deviate from this position: “We have clearly articulated what we are doing and what we plan on continuing to do and what it will take for us to stop doing what we are doing.”
He added: “And we will expect that both the international community and the regime in question, the Afghan Taliban, will come to their senses and will help reduce instability and disorder in this region.”
Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of Washington, while the US considers the Afghan Taliban a “terrorist” group.
“The United States supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against attacks from the Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group,” Reuters quoted a State Department spokesperson as saying.
US diplomat Allison Hooker said on X she had spoken with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch on Friday.
The State Department spokesperson said Washington was aware of the escalation in tensions and “outbreak of fighting between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban,” adding the US was “saddened by the loss of life.”
“The Taliban have consistently failed to uphold their counterterrorism commitments,” it said. “Terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a launching pad for their heinous attacks.”
Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid called for talks to resolve the crisis.
“We have always emphasized peaceful resolution, and now too we want the issue to be resolved through dialogue,” he said on Friday afternoon.
Asked what Pakistan desired, Tarar said: “Neutralizing the threat and ensuring that Pakistan is safe. Because for us, we’ve been good neighbors, we’ve been very friendly neighbors, we’ve been very, very generous neighbors. Our generosity, unfortunately, has often been seen as our weakness. So the objective, aim is to neutralize the threat and make Pakistan safe.”
He added it was too early to comment on a ceasefire as it was an evolving situation.
