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Greater New York Chapter of the Overseas Chinese People's Alliance Holds a Forum Against Article 23 "Global Coalition Against Article 23 Legislation" Holds a Grand Parade in New York City
(Clearwisdom.net)
On the afternoon of December 22, 2002, the Greater New York Chapter of the
Overseas Chinese People's Alliance of Democracy and Peace held its first
Democratic Discussion Forum at the Overseas Chinese Cultural and Educational
Center in Flushing. Renowned political commentator, Mr. Ling Feng, and Mr. Zhou
Juyuan, Professor of Economics at the City University of New York were invited
to talk about their opposition to the Hong Kong government's proposal to enact
Article 23 of the Basic Law. The forum attracted nearly 200 attendees including
representatives from the Greater New York academic circle, Taiwanese
Association, Traditional Overseas Chinese People Association, Overseas
Democratic Movement Organization, Falun Gong practitioners and representatives
from the Re-education through Labor Research Foundation. Among similar
activities held during the last few years, this forum attracted the greatest
number of attendees. After the forum, a grand parade was held entitled,
"Opposing the Enactment of Article 23, Safeguarding Hong Kong's Democracy and
Freedom", which called on the citizens of New York City, who enjoy democracy and
freedom, to be concerned about the Hong Kong people's human rights and freedoms.
Ms. Yang Yueqing, Director of the Overall Overseas Chinese People Alliance
hosted the Democratic Discussion Forum. She first invited Mr. Tang Yuanjun to
give a speech. Mr. Tang is a Democratic Movement public figure from Mainland
China who first fled to Taiwan and later came to New York City to seek political
refuge. Mr. Tang briefly talked about how he went into exile and about his
feelings and thoughts. Tang said that he has experienced all kinds of
tribulations during the almost 20 years since he organized the Democratic Salon
in 1983 to promote democracy in China. This led him to resolutely oppose the
enactment of Article 23 in Hong Kong. He firmly supports the Hong Kong people in
striving for freedom and democracy.
The main speaker was Mr. Ling Feng, a political commentator, who had lived in
Hong Kong for 21 years. His speech was entitled, "The Whole Story about Hong
Kong's Legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law." He discussed in detail how
enacting Article 23 of the Basic Law would not only deprive the Hong Kong people
of their freedoms and democratic rights, but would also harm Hong Kong's future.
Mr. Zhou Juyuan, Professor of Economics from the City University of New York,
believes that the Chinese Communist Party's "one country, two systems" policy is
impossible to uphold and that today, a prime example is how it has forced Hong
Kong to enact Article 23. "Speaking for the Hong Kong people, this is really a
nightmare."
Mr. Hong Zhesheng who is in charge of the Asian Democratic Discussion Forum,
Mr. Liu Qing, the chairman of China's Human Rights, Mr. Hu Ping, the chief
editor of Beijing's Spring, Mr. Liang Junpu, one of the founding members
of the Traditional Overseas Chinese People Association, Mr. Tang Baiqiao,
Chairman of China's Peace, Mr. Pang Zhong, the former News Chief from the Hong
Kong Phoenix Satellite TV station, Ms. Huang Jianhong from Macao, and Xu
Shuiliang, Zhao Pinlu, and Wei Ling also gave brief speeches. They all expressed
their opposition to the enactment of Article 23 in Hong Kong and their grave
concerns for Hong Kong's future.
Attendees at the Democratic Discussion Forum also included Mr. Wang Hanwan,
the Deputy President of the Greater New York Sub-Alliance of the Overall
Overseas Chinese People Alliance, General Secretary, Mr. Huang Zaitian, members
of the executive council of the Alliance, Mr. Xue Wei, Zhu Linyi and Guo Jingzi,
President of the New York Taiwanese Association, Mr. Huang Jingzhi, former
police officer from the Longgang police substation of the Shenzhen Public
Security Bureau [Guangdong province, China], Mr. Zhang Jianhua, and the widow
and son of Mr. Wang Ruowang.
After the forum, more than 200 people from the Global Coalition Against
Article 23 Legislation held signs reading, "Oppose Increasing the Police's
Authority, Protest Autocracy", "Freedom and Human Rights in Hong Kong, Freedom
of the Press" while they marched from the Flushing Overseas Chinese Cultural and
Educational Center to the plaza in front of the Flushing Public Library. Here
they held a rally. Mr. Ling Feng and Liu Qing as well as others explained to
passers-by damages that enactment of Article 23 of the Hong Kong basic law would
bring to people in Hong Kong as well as overseas. The rally attracted the
attention of a lot of passers-by.
Posting date: 12/31/2002 |