Monday, 30-Jun-2003

HONG KONG, June 30 (AFP) - Hong Kong prepared Monday for a huge protest against a proposed law many fear will curtail rights and freedoms, on the same day Chinese premier Wen Jiabao leads celebrations marking Tuesday's anniversary of the city's reversion to Chinese rule.

More than 100,000 people are expected to gather in what is likely to be the biggest rally seen since sovereignty of the former British colony reverted back to China on July 1, 1997.

They will take to the streets just hours after Wen is scheduled to depart the territory at the end of a three-day visit, his first here since becoming premier.

Wen told a gathering on his arrival Sunday that Beijing would continue its commitment to the "one country, two systems" policy under which Hong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy for 50 years following the handover.

However, Tsoi Yiu-cheong, a spokesman for the Civil Human Rights Front, a coalition of more than 40 pro-democracy, religious and rights groups that organised the mass rally, said Wen's pledge would not change the protest plans.

"Mr. Wen should make his assurances in deed and not word, by halting the legislation of anti-subversion law and allow direct suffrage in Hong Kong," Tsoi told AFP.

There is mounting fear the proposed national security law banning treason, sedition, theft of state secrets and subversion, which Hong Kong is required to pass under Article 23 of the Basic Law -- its mini-constitution -- could stifle freedom of speech and strangle the free flow of information.

The legislation is expected to be passed on July 9.

Apart from those protesting against the subversion law, religious groups and professionals dissatisfied with the state of the economy and those unhappy over the government's handling of the SARS outbreak are expected to join the rally.

The proposed law has been condemned by democracy and human rights advocates as an effort to curtail freedoms guaranteed for a half-century under the "one country, two systems" principle that returned Hong Kong to China from Britain.

Strong condemnation has also come from the US and British governments.

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http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/dr/Qhongkong-china-wen.R545_DuU.html

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