Picture: Members of Falun Gong displayed the pictures to reporters before they went to Macau to appeal to the Chairman of China, Jiang Zemin.

[Clearwisdom.Net, Macau] If it were not reported that this scene was taking place in Macau, it would be indistinguishable from scenes of Chinese police hauling Falun Dafa practitioners away from Tienanmen Square in Beijing. However, Macau, which is supposed to be governed under the "One country, two systems" policy, has adopted the same severe and unreasonable measures as Mainland China in dealing with Falun Gong. Is it necessary to deprive Macau's residents of their basic rights in this way? We think that repression, such as occurred yesterday, should not be allowed in any civilized society. What Macau's special government did has not only ruined the atmosphere at the first anniversary of Macau's returning to China, but also violated the policy of "One country, two systems".

As a matter of fact, the repression and harassment of the people who peacefully appealed yesterday is a drastic overreaction. The practitioners were not only forcibly taken away while peacefully assembled in a public place, they were also harassed at taxi stations and the pier by the security people. It is fair to say that their personal freedom and basic rights are not assured. Such complete violations of law, citizen's rights, and basic conscience are a clear indicator of rule under totalitarianism. Since when did Macau become governed this way?

The practitioners' peaceful appeals will affect the image of the special government of Macau. It will show the people that the policy of "One country, two systems" is not being implemented fairly. The basic principle of the policy of "One country, two systems" is to tolerate different opinions, different voices, and different behavior.

We hope Macau's special government will realize that although it is important to improve security and encourage economic growth, it is equally important to respect basic rights and guarantee the freedom of its residents. To competently implement the "One country, two systems" policy and become the model for Taiwan and other areas, it is unrealistic for the government to violate the basic rights and freedoms of its citizens. The unreasonable repression yesterday only serves to discredit the "One country, two systems" policy.

Reported on December 20, 2000