Wednesday, May 9, 2001

Overseas Falun Gong members protesting in Hong Kong said yesterday they were astonished at the hostile welcome they received from SAR authorities. Jessie Zhao, who arrived in the SAR on Friday from Australia, said her mother was detained for a day and then sent back home to Melbourne.

"We got off the plane at around 6.30am and were questioned for two hours. About five or six officers surrounded us at the luggage unit and they brought us to a separate room. We were not allowed to ask what was going to happen to us and refused the use of mobile phone and lavatory," said the 20-year-old, who was practising outside Queen Elizabeth Stadium yesterday.

"The officials conducted body checks twice and luggage search. They were so rude," she said.

Chris Cominos, another Falun Gong practitioner from Melbourne, arrived in Hong Kong on Monday but a female friend with him was refused entry.

"I didn't know what happened with her. When I looked back at the luggage claim area, a red light at my friend's counter blinked and she was taken away by an officer. She was kept for a day in a room and was sent back to Australia," he said.

Patrick Kwong, who arrived from Sydney two days ago experienced a smooth entry, which he attributed to the use of a Hong Kong identity card instead of an Australian passport at the checkpoint.

"It's unfair that the Hong Kong authority uses 'security reasons' as an excuse to deny our fellow practitioners entry. We are not terrorists . . . we come here only to conduct peaceful protests," he said.

Bang Chung-hwa, from Tiunaun, near Seoul, said she was disappointed at the lack of freedom of speech in the SAR.

"Two out of our group of 17 were refused entry to the territory.

"Hong Kong is not a democratic city as it deems itself to be. In Korea, we could practise in the parks and public areas, here, our movement is limited and always under surveillance, " she said.

Marianna Wong, a land developer from Australia, said there was a stark contrast in how the group was treated in Australia compared with Hong Kong.

"Many university students take the initiative to join our functions and write papers about us. They can't understand why a peaceful spiritual group would be threatened and tortured on the mainland," she said.

"The Australian Government respects people's right of freedom and religion. That is something SAR authorities should heed."

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