Electronic Telegraph: Mass protests win concessions on Hong Kong subversion Bill

By Adam Luck in Hong Kong

06/07/2003

Hong Kong's Chinese leader Tung Chee-hwa announced an embarrassing retreat yesterday from parts of the anti-subversion Bill which provoked mass street protests last week.

Democratic critics warned that the former colony was still facing a political crisis. Yeung Sum, chairman of the Democratic Party, said: "This is too little, too late. Hong Kong is looking at the political abyss because we have a government that can no longer govern.

Tung is going for bust but all he is going to do is seal the breakdown of the political system because it simply does not work. There is no accountability with this government."

Mr Tung surprised many within Hong Kong - including the 500,000 who demonstrated against his plans last week - by backing down on key elements of the planned new law.

He then enraged his critics further by insisting that what remained of the Bill, known as Article 23, should be pushed through this week, without any further consultation.

Critics say the Bill threatens Hong Kong's freedoms of speech, press and assembly. It includes life sentences for anyone convicted of treason, sedition or subversion. The freedoms were enshrined in local law after the handover from Britain six years ago.

Yesterday Mr Tung announced that he would drop the provision that would have allowed for some groups such as Falun Gong to be banned.

He also added protection for journalists who publish classified information and agreed to drop the plan to let police search houses without warrants.

He acknowledged that he had misjudged public opinion on the original proposals and said: "My colleagues and myself have to do better. After repeated discussions, we have decided to make amendments to further allay people's fears. The Bill can now be passed because there is no controversy."

Last week's mass march, which marked the anniversary of the handover to China, was the biggest protest since the Tiananmen Square riots in 1989.

It has boosted the confidence of democrats and opposition groups and induced a sense of panic and paralysis in pro-government circles. Some opponents believe that Tung has simply offered the apparent concessions in a bid to split the opposition and ensure that some pro-government parties decide to back the Bill this Wednesday.

Many members of the key Bills committee may have been told about the changes but none of them appears as yet to have seen the full text of the amendments which they have to consider on Tuesday.

Margaret Ng, who represents the legal sector in the Legislative Council, said: "There are no details. We don't know the scope of the amendments and this is a preposterous timetable."

Ng, a leading barrister, believes many opponents of the Bill will simply see it as a divide and rule mechanism by the government.

"They claim there are concessions but still want to go ahead with the second reading of the Bill on Wednesday. This fails to address the concerns of the 500,000 people who took part in the march. They wanted the Bill to be deferred and for the government to consult with the people. This does neither."

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