Opportunity for Hong Kong to put its house in order

It might be too early to breathe a sigh of relief assuming that the demonstrations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will end soon. But there are indeed signs, suggesting that the city, plagued by two months of violence, could be on the right track to end the disturbances.

Over the past several days, the city has been spared the violence that had become a common occurrence since the middle of June. The latest public rally organized by the demonstrators on Sunday was generally peaceful, with the attendees expressing their opinions in a civilized manner. It is hoped that weeks of turbulence have finally brought home the message that violence will get them nowhere.

The newfound peace has afforded the SAR government a chance to seek an end to the current turmoil through dialogue. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the HKSAR, said on Tuesday the SAR government will set up a communication platform to hold dialogue with the Hong Kong community, with the aim of helping the city move on from the present undesirable situation.