04/27/2001

Two days ago Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa raised the spectre of Falun Gong once again. He warned the group not to disrupt President Jiang Zemin's visit to Hong Kong for the Fortune Global Forum next month.

Yesterday, his loyal new Chief Secretary for Administration-designate, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, echoed Mr Tung's warning, although he tried to reassure people the government was simply reminding Falun Gong to behave within the law.

Mr Tung accused Falun Gong of trying to "sow discord" between the SAR [Special Administrative Region] and Beijing. The group's activities "represent a deliberate move to undermine the relationship between Hong Kong and the central government", he said.

A key question to ask is how, Mr Tung, does Falun Gong sow discord and undermine Hong Kong's relations with Beijing? How do a few hundred people exercising publicly, or even protesting peacefully, harm relations with the central government?

It is possible that Mr Tung is preparing to introduce harsh measures against the [group]. Maybe he is watching France's proposed anti-[term omitted] legislation, and has plans to copy it if it is successful in France. Perhaps the government is preparing to ban the group.

But we urge the government not to. As long as Falun Gong continues to behave within the law, it should be allowed to continue. To ban it would be a violation of religious freedom.

...

As long as Falun Gong acts within the law, Mr Tung's harsh warnings have no justification. Restraint, therefore, is the key.