The Washington Post - USA (2020-08-01)

A14 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 , 2020

your face & make space.” Along- side the obligatory hashtag, #HandsFaceSpace. This replaces an earlier message to “be alert,” which was confusing to many — be alert to what? In addition to confusing messaging, Johnson’s government has been criticized for a late lockdown on March 23, and over failures to protect people in nurs- ing homes, provide protective gear to front-line medical work- ers and operate an efficient test, trace and isolate program. The prime minister’s pullback on reopening comes a day after Britain’s Office for National Sta- tistics reported that England topped Europe’s grim league ta- ble for highest levels of excess deaths during the coronavirus pandemic. That analysis of more than 20 European countries — including the four nations of the United Kingdom — found that England’s death rate was 7.55 percent higher this year through the end of May, compared with its five-year aver- age. Spain was next, followed by Scotland and Belgium. A few days ago, after outbreaks in Catalonia, Britain reimposed a 14-day quarantine for all travelers from Spain — dashing the plans of many Britons for a holiday in the south. Several European countries that have had their coronavirus outbreaks under control have begun to see a rise in cases that is feeding fears of a second wave. A spike in infections led Bel- gium to ramp up restrictions on social contact, while Spain closed gyms and nightclubs in Barce- lona. France reported a 54 percent rise in new coronavirus cases over the past week, calling it a “marked increase.” German health officials have described new infections there as deeply concerning. [email protected]

Berger reported from Washington. Antonia Farzan in Washington, Loveday Morris in Berlin and Karla Adam in London contributed to this report.

BY WILLIAM BOOTH AND MIRIAM BERGER

london — Prime Minister Boris
Johnson told England on Friday
that it must “squeeze that brake
pedal” and postpone easing some
coronavirus restrictions for at
least two weeks, amid a worrying
uptick in infections.
The British are moving two
steps forward, one step back, es-
sentially, like other countries in
Europe now. All are trying to
revive their economies and give
citizens back their freedoms,
while defending themselves
against a full-blown resurgence of
the virus.
In response to outbreaks, the
British government on Thursday
night announced new restric-
tions affecting 4 million people in
north England. A ban on gather-
ings of any size at private homes
applies to greater Manchester
and parts of Lancashire and West
Yorkshire. That means people
can’t visit friends’ houses — or
even have a one-on-one chat in a
friend’s backyard. They can still
go to pubs and restaurants, but
only with members of their own
households.
The prime minister has said he
is trying hard to avoid another
national lockdown.
But the slowdown announced
Friday applies across all of Eng-
land. The main thrust is that
casinos and bowling alleys, shut-
tered since late March, will have
to wait longer before customers
are allowed back in. Wedding
receptions of up to 30 people and
indoor performances will remain
banned, despite earlier plans for
them to restart on Saturday.
Face masks will also now be
mandatory in more indoor set-
tings, such as movie theaters,
museums and places of worship
beginning Aug. 8. Masks are al-
ready mandatory for people in
shops and on public transporta-
tion.
The British government —
along with much of Europe — is
worrying aloud about a possible
second wave of infections that
could overwhelm hospitals dur-

BY TATENDA CHITAGU AND MAX BEARAK

harare, zimbabwe — Cities
across Zimbabwe that had expect-
ed mass anti-corruption demon-
strations were instead deserted on
Friday as security forces deployed
widely and police said that pro-
testers would be “regarded as ter-
rorists.” A prominent author and
an opposition spokeswoman were
among those arrested.
Zimbabwean security forces
have a history of using deadly
force on unarmed protesters. In
January 2019, more than a dozen
people were killed during similar
nationwide protests against the
government of Emmerson Mnan-
gagwa, who succeeded longtime
president Robert Mugabe in an
army-assisted takeover in 2017.
During protests over the alleg-
edly rigged counting of votes that
brought Mnangagwa a narrow
win in elections two years ago, six
were killed when soldiers fired
indiscriminately into crowds.
“The town is closed today. Go
home. There is no work today,” one
soldier in a red beret barked at
passersby in downtown Harare.
“Only those in uniform are al-

lowed.” Ahead of Friday’s planned protests, numerous opposition officials, activists, journalists and their family members were de- tained or arrested by authorities, some of whom allegedly were in plain clothes and did not identify their organization. Renowned Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga, who was included on a long list for this year’s Booker Prize and has been vocal about corruption allegations, tweeted on Friday that she had been arrested. Fadzayi Mahere, a prominent lawyer and the spokeswoman of the main opposition party, was also arrested shortly after posting pictures of herself and oth- ers holding placards in a “socially distanced peaceful protest.” Other activists wrote on social media that they were in hiding, fearing arrest. Protest organizers lamented the deployment of security forces who seemed to arrest anyone per- ceived to be participating in any form of dissent regardless of whether they were breaching the ban on gatherings. “It is clear testimony that Zim- babwe is now being governed by a

more polished and entrenched dictatorship,” said Obert Masara- ure, a teachers’ union leader and organizer who said he was in hiding. “It follows that we no longer have a social contract.” On July 20, independent inves- tigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition figure Ja-

cob Ngarivhume were arrested and charged with inciting vio- lence by promoting the July 31 protests. Both remain in jail after repeated delays in their bail hear- ings. Chin’ono had played a lead- ing role in uncovering a string of corruption scandals involving government officials.

The government’s spokesman, Nick Mangwana, spent Friday morning tweeting pictures of empty city streets around the country and lauded Zimbabweans for staying home and avoiding “potential thuggery.” “The heavy deployment of security forces in Zimbabwe to prevent anti-corruption protests shows clearly that this Mnangagwa re- gime is not what it often claims to be — a listening administration that abhors corruption,” said Dewa Mavhinga, Southern Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “This repression will not solve the current economic and political crisis in the country.” Zimbabwe is in the throes of its worst economic crisis since 2008, when inflation spiraled out of control under Mugabe. In echoes of that time, inflation has reached 700 percent, and essential goods such as oil, soap, medicine, gaso- line and even currency are in ex- tremely short supply. Hospitals are operating on shoestring budg- ets, and staff have gone on repeated strikes due to lack of pay and protective gear to care for coronavirus patients. The pandemic has been slow to

take hold in Zimbabwe, although as new case numbers have risen in recent weeks the government has reimposed a curfew and a ban on gatherings. Police cited the latter as justification for cracking down on Friday’s planned protests. Few- er than 50 people have died of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, in Zimbabwe, according to government data. Earlier this week, the coronavirus claimed its highest-profile Zimbabwean victim: Perrance Shiri, agriculture minister, longtime air force commander and head of the Fifth Brigade, an army unit that was accused of genocide in the region of Matabeleland in the mid- 1980 s. On Thursday, the World Food Program asked for $250 million for Zimbabwe, saying that 60 percent of the country’s population was on the brink of becoming “food insecure.” The agency attrib- uted some of the crisis to the pandemic, which it said was causing job losses and driving unem- ployed citizens back to villages hurt by climate change. [email protected]

Bearak reported from Nairobi.

Zimbabweans stay in as police vow to treat protesters as ‘terrorists’

JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES Mass anti-corruption demonstrations planned for Friday were abandoned as Zimbabwe polices deployed and arrested activists.

open here in the fall. A just-released study by Uni- versity College London found that fewer than half of 70, respondents understood Eng- land’s lockdown rules. In an apparent attempt to sim- plify, Johnson launched another new public health messaging campaign Friday. The slimmed-down, catchy new slogan from the prime minister is: “Wash your hands, cover

nual Eid al-Adha holiday. Tradi- tionally, families and friends gather for large meals during several days of festivities. The ever-shifting list of government-ordered do’s and don’ts has become somewhat dizzying for Britons. The pubs are open, gyms are not. People can go to the movies, even as the government’s health advisers caution that indoor spaces should be avoided. Schools are still scheduled to re-

the community, in England, is likely to be rising for the first time since May.” British Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC that the rising number of cases in north England was due to people visit- ing friends and relatives. He emphasized that the new rules on gatherings were not meant to target British Muslims, who awoke Friday to news of the restrictions a day before the an-

ing flu season. Britain reported 846 new posi- tive coronavirus cases Thursday, its highest daily count since June

More than 46,000 people have
died.
In his remarks Friday, Johnson
said, “Our assessment is that we
should now squeeze that brake
pedal in order to keep the virus
under control.”
The prime minister added,
“The prevalence of the virus in

Britain puts brakes on reopenings

With coronavirus cases rising, government imposes new restrictions amid worries of a second wave

OLI SCARFF/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES Shoppers make their way Friday through Manchester, which is among the metropolitan areas in north England now subject to a ban on gatherings of any size at private homes. Residents still can go to pubs and restaurants, but only with members of their own households.

BY SHIBANI MAHTANI

hong kong — The Hong Kong
government said Friday it would
delay legislative council elections
for a year because of the coronavi-
rus pandemic, undermining one
of the few partially democratic
institutions left in the Chinese ter-
ritory as Beijing tightens its grip.
The decision to put the Sept. 6
elections on hold — unprecedent-
ed in the city’s political history
since its handover from Britain to
China in 1997 — was widely seen as
another direct blow to Hong
Kong’s autonomy after Beijing im-
posed a new security law that
sharply expanded powers to
quash dissent in Hong Kong.
It also closed off one of the few
remaining forums for Hong Kong
voters to express their voice. The
legislative council races loomed as
a potential slap against China and
its stunning moves to curb Hong
Kong’s political freedoms after a
waves of pro-democracy protests
last year.
The council elections were ex-
pected to bring a significant show
of support for opponents of Bei-
jing’s increasing controls. In ad-
vance, Hong Kong officials dis-
qualified a dozen pro-democracy
candidates. Now Hong Kong’s
chief executive, Carrie Lam, said
the makeup of the 70-seat council

will be decided by Beijing until new elections are held. “This reflects that they — not us — are in fear, in fear of the people and of their voices,” said Alvin Yeung, leader of the opposition Civic Party and one of the disqualified candidates. Lam said at a news conference that she was invoking emergency powers to postpone the vote, calling it the most “difficult decision” she has had to make since the onset of the virus here in January. “We have made the decision to postpone the election for one year,” Lam said after spending half an hour laying out her government’s response to the pandemic and the potential health risks of holding the vote. Because of the pandemic, “we would not be able to meet the requirements of an open and fair election,” she said. In response to reporters’ ques- tions, she added: “There is abso- lutely no political agenda.” The postponement, Lam said, was sup- ported by Beijing because it is in the “public interest.” Unconvinced, opposition poli- ticians and observers said the moves are designed to stack the political system with those loyal to the Chinese Communist Party and snuff out even moderate political opposition in Hong Kong. A month ago, Beijing subverted

Hong Kong’s usual political processes to pass a new national security law that has outlawed broadly worded crimes such as secession, foreign interference and terror- ism. Several people, including teenagers, have been arrested under that law, which has rewritten the legal underpinnings of the fi- nancial center and has had a broad chilling effect on speech. The legislative council elections grew in significance as other ways of dissent were choked off. Only half of the 70 seats in Hong Kong’s council are directly elected, but given that the body has the power to enact and repeal laws, it is among the few avenues that residents have to express their political will. “They have basically redefined their definition of their enemies, and from one red line, we now have a few. Those red lines have become very thick,” said the opposition leader Yeung. Pro-democracy candidates swept a majority of seats in local elections in November, a vote widely seen as an endorsement of their movement and a repudiation of the Beijing-allied elites. Over the past year, pro-democracy legislators have tried to stall or vote down bills, including L am’s proposal that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China

and one that would criminalize mockery of the Chinese national anthem. Lam herself acknowledged that the elections were the “biggest” in Hong Kong, with 4.4 million voters registered. Having so many people gathered, she said, poses a “great risk,” and registered voters who live in mainland China may not be able to travel into the city to cast their votes. Countries such as Singapore and South Korea have held elections amid the covid-19 outbreak, which was severe in both places. In the 21 days since Singapore’s election, the city-state, which has a population density similar to Hong Kong’s, has not seen a jump in covid-19 cases, and daily community transmissions are in fact down to the single digits. Epide- miologists have noted that Hong Kong has begun to see gains in fighting this third wave of infections, and they predicted that daily cases, which have been a little over 100 in recent days, will likely drop in about four to six weeks. In Washington, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday that the election delay was “only the most recent in a growing list of broken promises” by Beijing on Hong Kong’s autonomy. “This action undermines the

democratic processes and freedoms that have underpinned Hong Kong’s prosperity,” McEnany said. On Thursday, Pres- ident Trump proposed a delay to the November presidential election, asserting without evidence that widespread mail balloting would be a “catastrophic disaster.” Republican leaders quickly said no such U.S. election delay was possible. In other fallout from Hong Kong’s move, Germany joined Britain and other nations in sus- pending its extradition agreement with Hong Kong. A statement from Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, called it a “further infringement on the rights of Hong Kong’s citizens.” Analysts have pointed out, too, that the Hong Kong government could have delayed the vote by a shorter period of several months and put in place a system such as postal or electronic voting. Other institutions of government, including courts that are currently prosecuting thousands of people arrested in pro-democracy protests last year, continue to be open as usual. “Delaying it for a whole year is clearly overreach,” said Antony Dapiran, a lawyer and writer on Hong Kong politics. “It gives them time to suppress the opposition

for another year.” Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, said the move follows a pattern in which the pandemic has been used as cover to suppress political dissidents in mainland China. Hong Kong, she said, has long been a standout in the administration of elections, which are con- ducted in an open, orderly way. “Covid has presented a remark- ably convenient excuse, but also a very shallow one,” she said. “But what efforts have gone into con- sidering alternatives to postpon- ing the elections for a year?” The disqualified candidates included prominent activists such as Joshua Wong, political new- comers including a former journalist and organizers of pro-democracy protests. Reasons cited included opposition to government policies and an opinion piece written by Wong in The Washington Post. The candidates, officials said, could not be trusted to uphold the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. “Clearly, this is the largest elec- toral fraud in Hong Kong’s history,” Wong said in a tweet. [email protected]

Tiffany Liang in Hong Kong and Loveday Morris in Berlin contributed to this report.

Hong Kong delays elections, further eroding political freedoms

The Washington Post - USA (2020-08-01)

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