Posted on 06/30/2003 6:52:39 PM PDT by FreepForever
Never before has Hong Kong’s basic human freedom been so endangered. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration explicitly guarantees that all of Hong Kong's freedoms, including press freedom, religious freedom, and freedom of association, will continue for at least 50 years. On Tuesday, July 1, 2003, when Hong Kong celebrates her 6th anniversary of returning under China’s rule, Hong Kong’s citizen have to stage the territory’s largest protest to protect their basic human freedom. (See also House of Representatives’ Resolution warns that Hong Kong’s Basic Freedoms are in danger. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/936868/posts)
The pro-democracy legislators, lawyers, journalists and clergymen have all exhausted their best effort to negotiate with the government within reason but the Tung Chee-Hwa’s Beijing-puppet government is too blind to see and too deaf to listen because the Legislative Council is controlled by the majority rubber stamp pro-Beijing legislators. So, even the Churches (Roman Catholic and Protestant) are calling for civil disobedience and all Christians to fight for their own rights and pro-democracy legislators are staging a 100-hour hunger strike at the time of this writing. “Freedom is not free. No democracy can be won without a fight. So, it is time for every citizen to stand up...” Hong Kong citizen have not heard these chants for 14 years, only this time the setting is Hong Kong, not Beijing.
Under the Article 23 “Proscription of Local Organization” section, the Secretary of Security can outlaw and resolve any organization in Hong Kong if Beijing has announced such organization illicit. No court ruling is necessary. Just a public announcement from Beijing is what is needed. This immediately affects the very existence of Hong Kong’s Catholic Church. Hong Kong’s Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun had openly admitted in a radio talk show that the Hong Kong diocesan has close connection and liaison with the underground "house churches" inside China. He even confirmed that there exist documents in the Church proving such liaison. "You don't need a search warrant. I will not lie and deny our association with the underground church. Millions of our brethren are risking their lives to worship God, can we not lend them our support? If that is a crime, come and arrest me then." he said. Whether the Secretary of Security (Regina Ip, described as Hong Kong’s female Hitler or JiangQing) would take such action is irrelevant here. The issue is: under Article 23, SHE CAN. From now on, the Church and all other organizations that Beijing and the government dislike, such as dissident groups, pro-Taiwan groups, pro-democracy groups are at her mercy.
Incidentally, this is the first Church-initiated and Church-sanctioned anti-government march ever staged in Hong Kong. Christians view the struggle as Church-power against Communist-power, God against tyrants. And, China’s continued arrest, torture and imprisonment in labor camp of Christians on the ground of “feudalistic superstition” (12 arrested on June 5 in Funing County, Yunnan, source: HRIC) surely doesn’t alleviate Hong Kong Christians’ distress. Up to now, the Communist authorities still ban all religious activities which are not officially endorsed by the government which explains the existence of the underground church. A China travel brochure has this important travel advice: “For your own personal safety, do not take a Bible or rosary into China.” The warning says it all.
For more than half a century, Beijing”s fossilized authority has regarded the Hong Kong diocesan as a “covert operation center” supporting the underground movements in China which grows to millions of followers. Their relationship has never been cordial. For the past 6 years, the Beijing-puppet Hong Kong government has taken every chance to alienate and undermine the Church. With Article 23, a convenient tool to subjugate the Church, the gloves are off. The government’s bellicose handling of this self-created situation pushes tension to the brink of a showdown. Before the eve of the march, a government spokesperson, in vain attempt to downplay the impact of the widely supported march on the government’s authority and to discredit the movement, commented that “anti-government forces have already infiltrated the Church”. In Christian ears, this sounds more like a justification for a future crackdown. This is an outright slander of the Church, its cause, the clerics and the followers. By spitting on the face of believers, it leaves them with very little option but to stand up for the only single true Leader they have -- the Christ.
Under the Article 23’s “Theft of State Secrets” and “Unauthorized Disclosure of Protected Information” section, whistle blowers in State industries and government branches who discover and expose irregularities and corruptions will become the criminal. And, the media and the journalists who report such crimes would be incriminated under the “Sedition” and “Seditious Publications” sections. Readers who possess such publication would be incriminated too. House search is solely at the police’s discretion, no search warrant issued by the court is needed. The bill also stipulates that the defending publication and journalist cannot use “public interest” as defense, in a court of closed hearing with defending lawyers chosen by the government -- all in the name of “National Security”. Just imagine, the whistle blower in the Enron incident being arrested instead of being hailed as hero, and the government become a watchdog of the media instead of vice-versa.
Under Article 23, the film industry cannot make movies criticizing tyrants. They must be portrayed as heroes. Teachers cannot explain to students about the disadvantages of “one-party system” and dictatorship. All news in the newspaper will be self-censored pro-government material. Investment bankers and stock brokers cannot speak unfavorably against Chinese state-owned enterprises. Under Article 23, no one can speak the truth freely anymore and all voices are stifled.
Is Article 23 really all about “national security”? The fundamental ridicule and audacity of the proposed bill is to ask the defenseless people to give up their basic freedom for the protection of a tyrannical government which already has more than enough firepower to crush her people. Article 23 only gives the government a bigger gun and making such atrocity seemingly more legitimate.
God bless him, and God bless and keep all of you who know what it truly means to put everything, your lives, fortunes and sacred honor on the line for your faith.
These folks are the living embodiment of what true faith and commitment to principle mean. May God grant that we all be as couragous in our own time...and may He grant that we retain the effectual means to protect ourselves and loves one if it comes to that, and if not, that He may protect us and fold us safely in His arms.
Carolyn
What a story this is. Is there some way to get news about the protest? God Bless and protect you FreepForever and all who are with you. You are very brave, and remind us of how blessed we are to live here in the United States.
It's nice to see the Catholic Church (at least in China) is doing the right thing, and showing great courage. I was just thinking about how liberals sneer and look down on Religion. They think it's stupid and not worth any thing. But, if it's stupid and worthless, why all the effort, in China and other totalitarian regimes, to crush it? Obviously the Chi-coms see it as a powerful threat. The main reason our Country is here today is because the Pilgrim's wanted ,above all else, the freedom to Worship without being persecuted. It seems to me that belief in God then, IS very powerful; and it makes people powerful. That's why the Chi-coms are trying to destroy it.
FreepForever's words, and the protest that is about to take place in Hong Kong are sobering reminders of just how much freedom we have (and unfortunately, too many take for granted) here in the U.S.A. With the Fourth of July coming up, I am more thankful than ever , that I was born here. God Bless America!
To FreepForever and all who march in Hong Kong:
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
Before the second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on
Walk on
What you got They can't steal it
No, They can't even feel it
Walk on
Walk on
Stay safe tonight.
You're packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be beleived
To be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in open cage
Who will only fly
Only fly for freedom
Walk on
Walk on
What you got
You can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on
Walk on
You Stay safe tonight
U2's "Walk On" from -All That You Can't Leave Behind Album-written for Ayun Sun Suki(forgive me if I spelled her name wrong)
May each step taken today be the first steps towards the dethronement of the Communist Chinese in mainland China. Satan is defeated by the word of their testimony and by the blood of Jesus Christ which shows forever the power and might of salvation of our God.
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