South China Morning Post: xx comment 'not just Tung's personal opinion'

06/24/2001

Tung Chee-hwa's description of the Falun Gong as an [Chinese government's slanderous term omitted] reflected the Government's position rather than simply his own opinion, a human rights spokesman said yesterday.

The director of the Human Rights Monitor, Law Yuk-kai, speaking after a forum in Jordan to discuss anti-xx laws and religious freedom, said: "Mr Tung is the Chief Executive. It's hard to tell people that what he said was only his own opinion or definition. Mr Tung's remarks are usually taken as the Government's stance."

The Chief Executive launched his attack in Legco on June 15, saying: "No doubt, the Falun Gong is an [Chinese government's slanderous term omitted]." [...]

Last week, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club, said that in a free society like Hong Kong, it was natural for people to have different views of what a cult was and that Mr Tung was expressing his own definition.

Nine Christian groups yesterday jointly made a statement opposing any moves to introduce an anti-xx law expressing their dissatisfaction at Mr Tung's remark. They have also launched a signature campaign to object to any possible legislation.

The executive secretary of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, Mary Yuen Mee-yin, said although Mr Tsang had said Mr Tung was using his personal definition, she found it inappropriate for the Chief Executive to have made the remark in the first place.

"We don't have a definition on what is an [Chinese government's slanderous term omitted] in Hong Kong," she said. "It was inappropriate for Mr Tung to make such a hasty remark since he did not provide concrete evidence to support his remark."

Speakers at the forum said there was no need for an anti-xx law in Hong Kong, although Falun Gong is banned on the mainland.

Mr Law said the Government would not be able to handle the Falun Gong even with an anti-xx law because it was difficult to define an [Chinese government's slanderous term omitted].

Mr Tung said during the June 15 Legco question and answer session it was not time for an anti-xx law. Mr Tsang has since said the Government would not be enacting a law against the group.

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