Reuters: Hong Kong Stages Another Huge Anti-Government Rally
Wed July 9, 2003 10:09 AM ET
By Carrie Lee HONG KONG (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people surrounded Hong Kong's
legislature on Wednesday to denounce the government and its planned
anti-subversion bill, cranking up pressure on the territory's embattled chief
executive. Organizers said about 50,000 people took part in the candlelit vigil, which
ended peacefully after a few hours. Dragging effigies of the unpopular
Beijing-backed leader and some of his ministers, some shouted: "Step down Tung
Chee-hwa!" The demonstration at the heart of Hong Kong's business district came a week
after half a million protesters took to the streets to condemn the bill in the
city's biggest demonstration since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. A number of academics, politicians and right activists made impassioned
speeches denouncing Tung Chee-hwa's administration for not listening to the
people and calling for more democracy. "You have demeaned us by not listening to our views ... we want universal
suffrage," academic Chan Kin-man said as the crowded roared in approval. Protestors were packed in pockets of open spaces and standing shoulder to
shoulder in streets surrounding the territory's legislative building. They
raised fists in unison to songs of courage and patriotism. Hundreds of police were at hand to direct traffic. Widespread anger at Tung over the security bill and his failure to revive the
ailing economy have snowballed into Hong Kong's biggest political crisis in
years. Though he reluctantly agreed on Monday to postpone the bill for more public
consultation, frustration with his leadership in the last six years has reached
the boiling point. Many ordinary people have lost faith in his ability to
govern. At a hastily-arranged media briefing just before the protest began, Tung
promised to listen more closely to the public, but brushed off questions from
reporters. "We will respond to the aspirations of our citizens and will take actions to
allay public dissatisfaction and improve the effectiveness of the government,"
Tung said. Some of those gathered outside the legislative building were members of the
Falun Gong spiritual group, which is outlawed in China but is still legal in
Hong Kong. The government bowed to public pressure on Saturday and withdrew a clause in
the subversion bill which would have allowed it to ban groups if they were
blacklisted on the mainland. Critics say the bill poses the biggest threat to basic civil rights since the
former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997, and could lead to more
interference from Beijing in Hong Kong's affairs. Tung no longer appears to have enough support in the legislature to push
through important policies, which could add to political and economic
uncertainties for the remaining four years of his term. Demands are growing for him to resign or at least sack some unpopular
ministers. Some analysts say the entire ministerial structure of the government
must also be re-examined because it fails to reflect broader public concerns.
Tsang Yok-sing, leader of the largest pro-Beijing party, called on Wednesday
for Security Secretary Regina Ip to be replaced. The tough-talking Ip has
alienated people during the months she has promoted the bill. Hong Kong's constitution requires it to enact a subversion law, which Beijing
wants passed as soon as possible to prevent hostile forces from using this city
to subvert the mainland. Organizers of the vigil want the law passed only after universal suffrage is
established in Hong Kong and people can finally choose their own leaders. Hong Kong's constitution allows for universal suffrage after 2007, but the
government refuses to open the issue for debate. Some of the protestors said they are planning another pro-democracy rally on
Sunday. http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=3061209 
A
protester holds a sign denouncing top Hong Kong government officials outside the
territory's Legislative Council building, July 9, 2003. Tens of thousands of
people are expected to surround the council building on Wednesday for a
candlelight vigil to show they have lost faith in the government of Hong Kong
leader Tung Chee-hwa. Photo by Bobby Yip/Reuters 
James
Tien(C), leader of Hong Kong's pro-business Liberal Party, attends a news
conference with party vice-chairman Selina Chow (R) and members who are also
legislators in Hong Kong July 7, 2003. Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa
was forced to postpone a controversial anti-subversion bill on Monday after Tien
quit his Executive Council, leaving the government facing the prospect that it
would not be able to muster enough votes to pass the legislation. Photo by Kin
Cheung/Reuters
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