Macao’s once-thriving democracy movement is all but over, with protests from 2014 now just a memory. The city, which marked its 25th anniversary of handover to China this week, has become increasingly docile and obedient under Beijing’s strict measures.
Pro-democracy activists like Au Kam-san, who became one of Macao’s longest-serving legislators after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, say they were warned not to make critical remarks in public. “There is a strong sense of suppression, and the whole civil society has fallen silent,” Au said.
Macao’s unique “one country, two systems” framework promised a high degree of autonomy, but it never included a guarantee of wider democratization. This lack of safeguard led to the erosion of democratic values in the city. Today, Macao’s residents have no say over their leader, who is selected by a committee of 400 pro-establishment figures.
Activists like Jason Chao and Scott Chiang explored ways to engage the public, but their efforts were met with resistance from Beijing representatives. The 2014 online referendum on universal suffrage for city leaders received an overwhelming 95% support, but it cannot be replicated now.
As Hong Kong continues to face pro-democracy protests, Macao’s democracy movement has all but disappeared. Despite this, some activists remain hopeful that “seeds” of change may yet sprout if the external environment changes.
Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/12/18/asia-pacific/politics/macao-civil-society-chinese-rule