In Hong Kong since 1974, Fr Franco Mella said that Beijing's stance on democracy in the Territory " was predictable;" however, "peaceful protests" will continue. "The issues of democracy and justice should not be limited to Hong Kong. We must pursue real change to unify the nation in the name of everyone's well-being."

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - What Chinese society really needs "is not only a political revolution in Hong Kong, but a social revolution that includes mainland China as well. People's needs must be at the centre of politics, economics and civil society, starting with the marginalised. Otherwise nothing will change," said Fr Franco Mella, a missionary with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) who has lived in Hong Kong and China since 1974.

According to clergyman, who has supported the pro-democracy movement and sided with the exploited for decades, Beijing's refusal to grant universal suffrage to the Territory "was predictable, but it will not stop Occupy Central."

"The group," he explained, "has already announced new peaceful protests. It will do all it can to achieve real democracy in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, we already know how the authorities will respond. Some inmates I have met told me that the government has moved people to other facilities to make room for coming arrests."

This is "just one example," the missionary said, "but it explains quite well that a discussion about democracy and freedom cannot be limited to Hong Kong but must include all of China."

"In the current situation, the central government in Beijing can easily control what happens in the Territory. Both the pro-democracy movement and the Catholic Church must pursue a more global approach. Catholics could seize certain values ​​that have become dominant during the Chinese revolutions of recent decades, values like 'serving the people', and use them as a general idea and a basis to start again."

However, to reach such a result, "we should not face a system that puts opponents in jail, a state capitalism that invests in other nations, but pays a pittance to its workers. Why are there pockets of poverty in a country as rich as China, where people need to be supported by charities? Why not really invest one's earnings to help the people?"

Recent political events prove Fr Mella's point. In addition to Hong Kong, others in China have shown support for democratic values, which Beijing has tried to stifle in the former colony.

In mainland China for example, dissidents like Wang Dan and Mo Shaoping have publicly expressed their "admiration" for Occupy Central. The same goes for the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, and the movement for universal suffrage in Macau.

"No one knows how it will end," Fr Mella said. "It must be said that among Christians there is a strong desire to broaden the discussion as well as a greater willingness to do more to serve people."

"Together with some Protestants, we signed a statement slamming the falsehoods of the movement opposed to Occupy Central. The former claims that the latter will undermine peace and destroy the economy of the Territory, which will become ungovernable, and so on. We responded by saying that it is a peaceful movement, almost along the lines of Gandhi, and that the actions [by the anti-Occupy movement] are only provocations."

Although the desire for democracy remains strong according to the missionary, "we must be aware that the concept of 'one country, two systems' cannot last forever."

"I realise that it is a long-term project but we must do more to build a homeland and a system, a new system with the people truly at the centre. In order to achieve this result, we need a revolution in society, a greater commitment to those who have less and a firm desire for justice."

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