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Massive Protest to Mark
Anniversary of Hong Kong's Handover from Britain
HONG KONG, June 29 (AFP) - Hong Kong will mark its
sixth anniversary under Chinese rule on July 1 with a
huge protest march over proposed national security
legislation which many fear will restrict fundamental
freedoms.
"It will be a mass protest against the legislation of
the security laws, with some estimated 100,000 people
participating," Tsoi Yiu-cheong, spokesman for the
Civil Human Rights Front, a coalition of more than 40
pro-democracy, religious and human rights groups, told
AFP.
The mass demonstration is timed to coincide with
anniversary celebrations to mark the former British
colony's reversion to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Despite planned festivities, Tsoi said people were in
no mood to celebrate because of the imminent enactment
of a national security law that is feared could
curtail freedoms previously guaranteed for 50 years
under the "one country, two systems" principle under
which the city was returned to China.
There is mounting fear the new law banning treason,
sedition, theft of state secrets and subversion, which
Hong Kong is required to pass under Article 23 of the
Basic Law, its mini-constitution, could also stifle
freedom of speech and strangle the free flow of
information.
The legislation is expected to be passed on July 9.
"This is a critical time," said Tsoi. "It is our
freedom that is at stake.
"We want to show the central government in Beijing
that what people in Hong Kong want is full democracy."
Protesters from all walks of life will vent their
grievances, from religious groups to professionals
dissatisfied with the state of the economy in the wake
of the SARS outbreak, he said.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is to attend the handover
celebrations, in his first visit to the territory
since assuming the post in March.
Wen will attend the signing of the first bilateral
trade agreement on the eve of the anniversary -- a "birthday
gift" seen as a sweetener from Beijing to appease
growing discontent in the city over the sluggish
economy and the new law.
The 13-week Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
crisis caused 296 deaths from 1,755 infections, and
also wrecked Hong Kong's efforts to revive the economy
which has struggled since the 1997 Asian financial
crisis.
"There is a general feeling of dissatisfaction,
ranging from politics to the economy, although people
in general have accepted the return to China without
resentment," noted Joseph Cheng, a political
commentator from City University.
"Hong Kong's malaise is now a political one arising
from concerns China's communist regime is gradually
taking hold of the city with the legislation of
so-called anti-subversion laws."
With chief executive Tung Chee-hwa's popularity at an
all-time low following the economic slump and his
perceived poor handling of the SARS crisis, more
people were calling for a fully-elected government,
said Cheng.
Tung presides over a system in which a partially
elected legislature exercises limited control.
Sonny Lo, a political commentator from the University
of Hong Kong, warned "it will be dangerous for Hong
Kong if both political and economic discontent
converge. It is a wake-up call," he said.
A recent University of Hong Kong poll showed the
popularity of Tung, who has led the territory since
the handover, had dropped to a record low of 44
percent points.
The survey also found 52 percent of 1,043 respondents
were opposed to the new security law in principle, 39
percent were against the contents of the bill and
under 17 percent gave it their support.
Director of Hong Kong Christian Institute, Rose Wu,
estimated some 6,000 Christians would turn out for the
march.
"It is not just our freedom of religious belief, but
our fundamental freedom (that is at stake)," she said.
"We will not give up, even if the proposed bill is
passed into law. We will fight for amendments."
Hong Kong's outspoken Catholic head, Bishop Joseph
Zen, will lead a prayer meeting before the march.
Zen recently called for direct election of the chief
executive when Tung's second term expires in 2007,
replacing the current process of selection by an
800-member committee which is effectively controlled
by Beijing.
He also believes the entire Legislative Council should
be elected by universal suffrage from 2008.
Sophie Zhao, a spokeswoman for the Falungong spiritual
group, which is banned in mainland China, said some
300 practitioners will join in the march.
"We are against the legislation that will eventually
curtail our rights," she said.
United States and Britain have joined international
human rights and press groups to condemn the planned
laws.
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