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The Washington Times: Proposed security law sparks concern Katherine Arms February 20, 2003 (Clearwisdom.net) HONG KONG, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Human rights groups, the church, the media
and some lawyers are saying they still have concerns about how new security laws in Hong Kong could
curb freedoms despite the government having scaled back the legislation after widespread protests. The revised bill contains more explicit instances for levying charges like treason and sedition
than the initially proposed legislation but still many still say it could block freedom of speech
and assembly. Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 and the former colony still enjoys the freedoms it
held under British rule. At the time of the handover an anti-subversion law was noted in Hong Kong's
mini-constitution but the government didn't act on it until Beijing signaled last year that it was
time to move on the legislation. The government jumped on the idea, saying it was time an
anti-subversion law was enacted. Such anti-subversion legislation would give the government the power to shut various
organizations if they are linked to or financed by groups deemed to be terrorist or subversive in
mainland China. Distributing information that could be viewed as seditious or subversive would be a
criminal act. Any information that authorities classify as protected state information is published without the
government's consent could be against the law. "Under this law, you can't duplicate, publish or distribute material (the government sees as
protected.) Even if you receive an e-mail with material the government considers unauthorized you
still could be convicted ... it's handling material ... so that leaves the question of what can you
put in your written work?" Y.K. Law of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor told United Press
International. The head of Hong Kong's Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Joseph Zen came out Monday saying tighter
controls on Catholics in mainland China could mean trouble for Catholics practicing in Hong Kong. Regarded as an outspoken champion for human rights, Zen said China is moving to exert more
control over the Catholic Church on the mainland and this would mean trouble for Hong Kong's
Catholic church as it has ties to underground Catholic groups that are not members of the official
church on the mainland. Zen said the numbers of officially approved Catholic churches on the mainland are growing but
that Beijing is using "ever more repressive measures" cement its grip on the church. The Vatican has no diplomatic ties with Beijing and the Chinese authorities do not recognize the
authority of the pope. Unlike on the mainland, the more than 300,000 Roman Catholics in Hong Kong
can worship freely in churches that have pledged loyalty to Rome. In China, Catholics are only
allowed to worship at government approved churches. Many observers say they believe at the heart of this proposed legislation lies Beijing's
continuing crackdown on the outlawed Falun Gong movement. [Falun Gong] is illegal on the mainland
but under Hong Kong law members are free to practice. Falun Gong supporters and human rights
activists fear the new laws will be used to shut down the movement in Hong Kong. On Saturday Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated against the planned law and sat outside the
Legislative Council holding banners that said "Uphold human rights" and "No draconian
law in Hong Kong." "Beijing does want to see something put in place here, some sort of law they can feel
comfortable with. They do care about the Falun Gong activities in Hong Kong and at least the group
could be deterred by law," said Law. Falun Gong members in Hong Kong said they believe the new legislation is aimed at them. "We
think that (Chinese President) Jiang Zemin's punitive actions could be extended to Hong Kong to
persecute us and limit our freedoms of belief, speech and assembly," the group's spokesman Hui
Yee Han told UPI. China's crackdown on the group in the last four years has led to the detention of thousands of
Falun Gong practitioners, according to human rights groups. The Falun Gong said they have documented
evidence of at least 600 people who have died while in police custody. The group says it has inside
information that over 6,000 practitioners have been tortured to death in the hands of Chinese
authorities. [...] Officials say the bill would not affect any group's freedoms here and that the press would be
able to operate normally. The proposed law is expected to be pushed through the Legislative Council
soon, possibly in just a few months. "I think this could be a case of the Hong Kong government trying to be more religious than
the pope. They are trying to hard to please Beijing and overshot the mark They didn't know what
Beijing wanted," said Law. "All is done at the expense of Hong Kong and what is perceived
as in the interest of Beijing." Under the handover agreement Hong Kong's freedoms and system are to be separate from Beijing's
and guaranteed for 50 years but the chief executive was handpicked by the mainland to govern the
former colony from the time the former colony was handed back. The Legislative Council also has a
wide range of pro-Beijing members who vote in line with Beijing's interests and is expected to
rubber stamp the new legislation making it law in record time. http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20030220-015428-3684r.htm Posting date: 2/21/2003 |