Apple Daily Commentary: Do Not Create Friction Among People or Expand Conflicts

(Clearwisdom.net) The Apple Daily carried an editorial on November 17, 2001, which commented that for the last eight years, Hong Kong has been continuously evaluated as the world's freest in terms of economic regions. The Special Chief Officer and all the other high-ranking officials feel very proud and gratified. Everyone says that Hong Kong is a place of freedom, but how much political freedom is there in Hong Kong?

Questionable points about the actions of the police

Since last Saturday, the police in the Western District of Hong Kong Island have stepped up their surveillance of Falun Gong practitioners' exercise practice activities near China's Liaison Office, and have been working in conjunction with officers from the Food, Environment and Health Bureau to forcibly remove practitioners' poster boards and banners that were hung up on the walls. Then in the past few days, the police also sent people every day to the site to videotape the practitioners' activities. Yesterday, according to some local residents, the police officers also visited a nearby residential building, going door-to-door to conduct a survey and collect signatures from residents who were discontented with Falun Gong's presence.

We understand that the police are responsible for maintaining public security and social stability, and their work to follow-up on residents' complaints gives no cause for criticism, as this is also part of their duty. However, this time the police acted in a rather unusual manner and their actions have raised some questions.

Point No. 1. Usually, after receiving complaints from residents, the police will directly contact the complainant and the parties concerned to inquire about the issues. A large-scale investigation is only deemed necessary when dealing with major cases in order to collect more evidence. But for this small complaint, the police went so far as to investigate it in a manner as if they were processing a major case. What they did was not only a waste of police manpower, but also resulted in more serious disturbances to the local residents.

Point No. 2. Why is it that when police personnel visited households to conduct a survey, they requested the residents to sign their names to express their unhappiness with Falun Gong? Why is it that pedestrians who happened to walk past the Chinese representative office were stopped and asked if they would like to complain, and their words were written down on the spot? These kinds of actions have in fact become a political-social investigation, forcing residents to take a political stand on the Falun Gong issue.

Since the September 11^th incident in New York, every country and region in the world has strengthened their guard against terrorism and has stepped up their surveillance on those who may disturb social order and stability. This is understandable; however, what is regretful is that some countries and regions have put the names of political dissidents on the "terrorist" list in an attempt to suppress dissidents in the name of anti-terrorism. This phenomenon has seriously distorted the true meaning of global anti-terrorism.

Increasing unstable factors

We have no intention of conjecturing about the political motives behind the police's recent sudden intensification of their surveillance of Falun Gong activities. However, we believe that the controversy over Falun Gong has long been over in Hong Kong. In recent months, Falun Gong practitioners have been practicing the exercises every day and have been living in peace with the general public. Under such circumstances, the Special Zone government should not deliberately stir up the public's resentment and hatred against Falun Gong--especially at present when Hong Kong is facing a major economic crisis, people are boiling with discontent and the social situation is unstable. The government should not under any circumstances expand internal conflict in society, stimulate friction among people or increase unstable factors.