The Scotsman: [Group] members barred from Hong Kong celebrations


Sun 30 Jun 2002

DAMIEN McELROY IN HONG KONG

HONG Kong has refused entry to 20 followers of the Falun Gong [group] in a bid to prevent embarrassing demonstrations during President Jiang Zemin's visit today for celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of the handover.

Followers barred by immigration officials at the airport included two Japanese, two Australians and 16 Taiwanese. One practitioner, Australian Vina Lee, said officials told her she was refused entry for an "immigration reason" and told Taiwanese members they were barred for "security reasons". She said: "They've obviously got a blacklist."

[...]

Leading dissidents, including Harry Wu, the campaigner against labour camps, were barred from entering the territory last week.

A leading American sinologist, Perry Link, was questioned about his association with the highly embarrassing Tiananmen Papers, which reveal the inner debate held by the politburo before the June 4 massacre in 1989, by Hong Kong immigration officers on Tuesday.

Jiang and other members of the Chinese leadership will be in Hong Kong for a two-day stay, during which the handpicked chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, will be sworn in for a second term.

Behind the scenes the Chinese delegation is to demand that Hong Kong impose new restrictions on freedom by passing an anti-subversion law that will allow the authorities to target political activists and the Falun Gong, which is outlawed [...] on the mainland.

A total of 1,600 people have officially sought permission to hold protests in designated areas during the handover commemorations. Hundreds more are expected to risk arrest by protesting without authorisation.

Officials fear protests will infuriate the cosseted Beijing officials. Police believe the Falun Gong will demonstrate outside Jiang's hotel.

A visit by the Chinese head of state to Hong Kong remains a controversial event in the former colony. Chinese delegations are forced to stay in a hotel on the far side of the harbour and travel to official events in a police launch to avoid encounters with demonstrators.

http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=707942002

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