CNN: HK urged to stand up to Beijing

HONG KONG, China -- A human rights group has called on Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to maintain his commitment to freedom of association in the territory despite growing pressure from Beijing. The statement from the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch follows concern over China's increasing pressure on the Hong Kong administration to clamp down on the activities of the meditation group, Falun Gong. "That Beijing could even think of pressing Hong Kong to move against the group is ominous," said Sidney Jones, Asia director of Human Rights Watch in New York. "This kind of statement should have prompted an immediate rejoinder from Tung, and yet all we've heard is deafening silence." Falun Gong is legally registered in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region but is banned in mainland China. Hong Kong's security chief, Regina Ip, said Wednesday the administration would closely monitor the spiritual movement in the territory. The announcement came after Beijing warned [...] Pro-Beijing politicians in Hong Kong have backed Beijing's calls saying the group should be de-registered in the territory. Tung has remained silent on Beijing's warning. Members 'attacked' The appeal by Human Rights Watch came amid reports in Hong Kong media that two Falun Gong members were attacked as they handed out leaflets outside a temple in Hong Kong on Friday. According to the Hong Kong i-Mail, one woman was hit in the face with an iron bar in what is believed to be the first physical assault on members of the group in the territory. The suspected attacker was later arrested and released on bail. The suspect told the police he had attacked the two female members because he was forced to take the leaflets, the paper said. A spokesman for Falun Gong, Kan Hung-cheung told the paper the group "did not exclude the possibility that some people wanted to instigate public unrest through such incidents." Falun Gong followers held protests and a conference in Hong Kong last month. The move was widely seen as a snub to Beijing, which has steeped up its vilification campaign against the group in recent weeks. Kan said the group was still debating whether or not to stage protests during President Jiang Zemin's visit to Hong Kong expected in May.