Thousands take to Hong Kong streets in march for democracy (China)
yahoo ^
 

Some 3,000 people took to the streets to demand more democracy in Hong Kong, a turnout far smaller than the half a million that joined similar rallies in past years.

Chanting slogans, carrying banners demanding "Give power back to the people" and calling for political reforms in the southern Chinese enclave, the marchers walked for about 45 minutes from the downtown business district to government offices.

Although neither police nor organisers would give the number of marchers, witnesses estimated some 2,000-3,000 joined the protest, among them leading lawmakers Martin Lee, Yeung Sum and Albert Cheng, figureheads of the main pro-democracy party.

It was the first pro-democracy march here since an estimated 530,000 protested through the streets on July 1, a year after a similarly huge rally managed to scupper an unpopular anti-subversion bill.

The march was originally scheduled for January 1 but was postponed out of respect for the millions of people affected by the Asian tsunamis of December 26.

Organisers said they expected public disquiet over the tragedy to depress attendance at the rally.

Democrats in the Chinese-ruled former British colony have long demanded the right to elect local leaders currently selected by Beijing.

The rally had been organised to mark the first anniversary of a march last year that sparked a nine-month row between democrats and Beijing officials over the timing of a promised transition to full democracy.