Joseph Zen To Raise Article 23 Bill With Vatican After Vote Delayed
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2003--Hong Kong's influential Catholic Bishop Joseph Zensays Hong Kong could see more massive protests opposing a highlycontroversial anti-subversion bill favored by the government in Beijing,Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports. A half-million Hong Kong residentsdemonstrated against the legislation in the largest such protestsince 1989.
"I won�t exclude the possibility of using another mass demonstration, but Ihope we don�t need it anymore... I hope people don�t have to take to thestreets all the time to voice their views," Zen told RFA's Cantonese servicein an interview broadcast the day after he addressed a crowd of 20,000demonstrators in a Hong Kong park.
At the Sunday protest, Zen called on the Hong Kong and Chinese authoritiesto be more responsive to popular opinion. "Why don't you give us a chance?" he said. "We will prove to the world that Hong Kong people can make Hong Kong work, and even better, not be a burden to its motherland, and make allChinese people proud of Hong Kong."
Earlier, Zen told RFA that the entire consultation process over the proposedlegislation was "very ugly". "That�s the reason people are angry," he said."The crucial problem is with the attitude. I hope the government willacknowledge that its attitude is wrong. When the attitude is wrong, therecan be no dialogue." Zen, whose Chinese name is Chen Rijun, said he plannedto discuss the anti-subversion bill at the Vatican when he visits there thisweek.
Some 500,000 people staged a demonstration July 1 to oppose the bill--thelargest such demonstration in China since 1989. Earlier Monday, Hong KongChief Executive Tung Chee-hwa said the bill outlawing subversion, sedition,treason and other crimes against the state wouldn't be put forward onWednesday for a vote.
One of the likely reasons for the delay is that the outcry against thegovernment's handling of the bill has spread across political boundaries.Last week, pro-Beijing Liberal Party legislator James Tien resigned fromTung's cabinet in order to vote against the bill.
Meanwhile, former Liberal Party chairman Allen Lee said Beijing had nothing to fear from the democratic aspirations of Hong Kong people. "We love Hong Kong and want Hong Kong people to be its masters, to select their own leader. Hong Kong will always be part of China. Somebody said if you want democracy then means you don't love Hong Kong. They are wrong."
Zen, who has repeatedly criticized the bill and urged Hong Kong residents toprotest against it, said the Hong Kong government "made a grave mistake bytrying to enact a new national security bill without direct elections byHong Kong residents." An elite committee in Beijing selects the Hong Kong leader, and only 24 or 60 legislators were chosen by popular vote in 2000.
Critics say the bill, required under Article 23 of Hong Kong'smini-constitution since China resumed control of the territory in 1997,could lead to a major crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly.
Zen also said that talks between the Vatican and Beijing aimed atdesignating a bishop in China had halted after the two sides failed to agreeon a selection process. He also said Taiwan appeared to be an obstacle.
"It's the Pope's job to appoint a bishop--that's how the Catholic churchdoes things," he said. "The church wants to consult with the Chinesegovernment on the Vatican's nominee, but that doesn't mean Vatican shouldlisten to Chinese government and let the Chinese government make thedecision. Since the Chinese government won't yield, no further contact isbeing made between the two sides."
Beijing "is using Taiwan as an excuse not to establish formal contact withthe Vatican. The Pope has made it very clear that the Vatican will abandonTaiwan in order to establish a formal relationship with China. But Chinawants the Vatican to give up Taiwan first. Without negotiation andagreement, how can you expect the Vatican to give up Taiwan first?"
RFA broadcasts news and information to Asian listeners who lack regularaccess to full and balanced reporting in their domestic media. Through itsbroadcasts and call-in programs, RFA aims to fill a critical gap in thelives of people across Asia. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean, Lao,Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), andUyghur. It adheres to the highest standards of journalism and aims toexemplify accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. #####