Atlanta Journal Constitution: Hong Kong upset over subversion bill

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

HONG KONG -- Hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully through Hong Kong on Tuesday in a show of discontent with the government on the sixth anniversary of the former British colony's handover to Chinese rule.

After years of economic woes, including record unemployment and a plunging real estate market, the Hong Kong government is pushing an anti-subversion law that many believe would stifle the liberties that have made the Chinese territory one of Asia's freest and most open societies.

The last time lawyer Jeff Tse marched in a protest was June 1989, just after Chinese soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed demonstrators protesting at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. A million people took to the streets of Hong Kong in the days following the June 4 massacre.

On Tuesday, Tse found himself as angry as he was then.

"Hong Kong people should stand up to let their views be known," he said. "If someone steps on your toes, you should at least cry out that you are hurting."

Police estimated 350,000 people gathered in the sweltering heat for the march from Victoria Park to government offices. Marchers ranged from working-class retirees to the business elite. For many, it was the first time in their lives they had been involved in a protest.

"These are not the usual suspects," said Christine Loh, a former Hong Kong legislator who heads a public policy think tank called Civic Exchange. "People just don't think this government listens to them."

Many demonstrators wore black clothing as a sign of mourning for Hong Kong's eroding freedoms. As they marched past skyscrapers and family-run restaurants with roast ducks hanging in the windows, many wore stickers that said "no rushed laws" and chanted for Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's chief executive, to step down.

Tung, a shipping tycoon hand-picked by Beijing to lead the territory of 7 million people, spent Tuesday morning with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the handover.

Beijing had promised that under a "one country, two systems" model, Hong Kong -- which is officially a "special administrative region" of China -- would maintain a high degree of autonomy.

In his first visit to Hong Kong since taking office in March, Wen pledged to preserve the territory's "unique position and irreplaceable role" within China. [...]

The bill being rushed through the legislature defines sedition, treason and state secrets, gives police the power to search without a warrant and sets a life sentence for some offenses.

Many of the protesters said they fear the law would chill free speech and further cloud the distinctions between the open legal system of Hong Kong and the repressive rule of the rest of China.

Rose Wu, one of the organizers of the march, said the targets of the bill may be religious groups, including Falun Gong, [...] and evangelical churches with ties to underground churches in China. Beijing has [persecuted]Falun Gong [with fabricated charges] and cracked down severely on practitioners, but the group operates freely in Hong Kong.

Most said they doubted the march would have any effect on adoption of the security legislation, which is expected within days. But they hoped it would energize people and send a message to the world.

"People have the impression Hong Kong people only care about money," said Tse, the lawyer. "Hong Kong people are not that mercenary."

Wu said the large turnout would give more impetus to pushing for direct elections. According to the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the one-time British dependency can have direct election of its chief executive and legislature after 2007, but details are unclear about how it would achieve the goal.

"This is a very clear message that we really want democracy," Wu said.

Architect Amy Lo, a first-time protester, said she attended Tuesday's march to express her disappointment in the government's performance over the past six years. If there is no improvement, she fears more capital -- both human and financial -- will flow out of Hong Kong.

"The professionals who are capable of leaving Hong Kong will leave," she said, including herself among them. "We don't want our children to live in such an environment."

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/0703/02hongkong.html