(Clearwisdom.net) To support the 500,000 people who paraded through the
streets of Hong Kong in protest against Article 23, the European branch of the
Global Coalition Against Article 23 Legislation held activities next to St.
Paul's Church in Frankfurt, to raise the German people's concern over the future
of Hong Kong. The German media published reports from different angles
about the large-scale parade against Article 23 on July 1st, attracting
wisespread attention from the German peoples great . This time the activities
held beside St. Paul's Church gained support from over ten groups in Germany.
Mr. Haven, Executive Chairman of the International Human Rights Association,
expressed his opposition against Article 23. He called on the German government
to oppose Article 23 because it would impede the freedom and democracy of Hong
Kong. He said that the parade of half a million people exemplified the Hong Kong
citizens' concerted effort to oppose Beijing imposing its will on the region.
The Frankfurt branch of the Green Party, one of the leading
parties in Germany, sent a congratulation letter to the assembly. The letter
read, "Thousands of Hong Kong people paraded through the streets due to the
possible limitation of their freedom. These people need our support as well as
the help of the international community. We hope that the Hong Kong people's
protest, in particular the condemning voice outside China, can stop the Basic
Law from being interfered with for the sake of Article 23." The German Falun Dafa Association also sent a representative
to make a statement who, along with a spokesman from the International
Organisation to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, pointed out that
Falun Gong is the primary target of Article 23. Thirty groups from China and
Taiwan signed a petition. In December, 2002, at an earlier assembly to oppose
Article 23, these thirty groups made a public statement. Many German people have learned about the mass parade in Hong
Kong on July 1st through the reports of the German Media. At this rally, they
found out more about the persecutory nature of Article 23 and signed their names
to oppose it.
Posting date: 7/10/2003
Original article date: 7/9/2003
Category: Open Forum