Us. Tokio, December 15, 2002

Thousands demonstrated in Hong Kong on Sunday against the proposed anti-subversion law. The organizers of the march to the seat of Hong Kong's government were successful in mobilizing an unusually large number of participants. Almost 100 organizations, among them the Falun Gong spiritual practice that is banned in China, had called for participation in this march. According to the provision in Hong Kong's Basic Law, the authorities are compelled to decree a law against rioting and subversion against the Mainland Chinese overseers. This Basic Law had been valid since the return of Hong Kong to Mainland China from the British in the summer of 1997.

Officials had presented a draft of this law to the public. This proposal was met with immediate, sharp criticism, not only on the part of groups critical of China, but also from among the ranks of those who are responsible for and concerned to uphold Beijing's promise to honor the autonomy of Hong Kong for a period of 50 years.

Critics charge that such a law will put in place Mainland Chinese conditions in Hong Kong and would furthermore undermine one of Hong Kong's most-treasured prerogatives, the tradition of British prescriptive law and judicial system.

One of the most notable critics of this proposed law is Bishop Joseph Zen, the prelate of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong.

Participants during Sunday's protest march were disgruntled that the authorities had refused to call a halt to a second round of hearings in the legislature about this law prior to its ratification. Since the majority decision in the legislature about this law lies with those who deport themselves according to Beijing's whims, it is feared that the original draft of the law will be ratified without barely notable modifications.

(Original text in German)