December 2002 - Page 5 of 8 - Falun Dafa Australia Information Centre

Third Party Commentary: Hong Kong’s Anti-Subversion Law, Article 23, Is Destroying Hong Kong’s Own Future

After joining the World Trade Organization (WTO),
China was viewed as finally being on the same
track as the international community. However,
Hong Kong, a city that has long been known as
an international metropolis and global financial
center, is now under pressure from Bejing,
being forced to be on the same track as Mainland
China. In order to cater to Jiang Zemin’s regime,
Hong Kong’s government has recently made an attempt
to pass an anti-subversion law, namely, Article 23
of the Basic Law. This is an effort to import
Mainland China’s legal system into Hong Kong
in order to further “mainland-ize” Hong Kong.

Sydney Practitioner Lee’s Sydney to Canberra Pushbike Appeal

A Sydney practitioner, Mr Lee, today began a seven day, 500 kilometre bike ride to Canberra and back ,to call for support from local government, local Members of Parliament, the media and the public, to ask the Australian government to help deliver a Christmas package, including a personal letter and a small Christmas gift to his fiancee.

AFP: Falungong urges US to appeal to China for members’ release

The Falun Gong spiritual group has called on the United States to urge China
during human rights talks next week to release more than 100 jailed
adherents.

CNN: Thousands protest Hong Kong law

Tens of thousands of Hong Kong people mounted
one of their biggest marches in years on Sunday to denounce plans for an
anti-subversion law they fear will erode freedom and civil liberties.

BBC: Massive protest over HK treason law

About 20,000 people have taken to the streets of Hong Kong in one of the
biggest demonstrations in recent years to protest against planned
anti-subversion legislation.
The protest snaking through the streets of Hong Kong to the territory’s
government headquarters was far larger than most people had expected.

UN Human Rights Day 2002 Activities in Brisbane

Over 70 practitioners from southeast Queensland gathered together in Brisbane, Australia in recognition of United Nations Human Rights Day 2002. This year’s theme was “Help Rescue Our Family Members” to bring awareness to the public of the family members of Australian citizens who are being detained and mistreated in labour camps in China.

Bankstown City Councillor Clive Taylor Writes to Chinese Consulate Concerning Their Denying an Australian Citizen from Getting a Travel Visa to China

I respectfully ask you to reconsider Rui Jun’s application, because of the compassionate nature of her need to travel. We all have parents and can understand the need for her to visit her father at this time.

AP: Amnesty International calls on Washington to demand `concrete improvements’ in Chinese human rights

Complaining about a lack of Chinese progress, Amnesty
International exhorted American diplomats Friday to set specific goals and
demand the release of political prisoners during a new round of human rights
talks in Beijing next week.

Reuters: Survey shows rising anxiety over freedoms in HK

The percentage of respondents who said they were “not worried” fell to 58
percent in November — the lowest level since Hong Kong returned to Chinese
rule — from 68 percent in August.

The survey found that those expressing their anxiety included foreigners
living in Hong Kong and business people.

BBC Monitoring: China: Complaint lodged in France against Vice-Premier Li Lanqing

The plaintiffs accuse this senior Chinese politician of being the organizer
of the Chinese crackdown on Falun Gong members, who are regarded as the
members of a sect. Georges-Henri Beauthier, a Belgian lawyer specializing in
human rights law, has held a press conference in Paris.

Month: December 2002