ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the development of the protest over the Aged Temporary Housing Areas (ATHAs). It provides an account of the background context essential to understanding the emergence of this issue. The chapter contends that the government intended to retain the ATHAs for the purpose of rehousing squatters affected by its clearance programme. It considers the background of these actors, with particular reference to the organization they represent, for our study of the mobilization process. The chapter examines the demographic characteristics of the two ATHAs. To describe the development of the ATHA protest, we have traced this issue back to 1989. The ATHA protest effectively began with a newspaper article in 1989. The ATHA protest involved various protest groups which can be broadly regarded as a loosely structured coalition. This reflects the effective absence of a centre which could have served as a directing and decision-making agent. The chapter attempts to identify the reasons why the ATHAs became political issue.
