Undermining Democracy at All
Costs by a Totalitarian Regime
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Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor
Hong Kong:
26 March 2004
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Beijing announced today that it
has started its interpretation of the Basic Law by the Standing Committee of
the National People's Congress with a view to defeating the strong demand
for democracy. This is another serious blow not only to the democratic
developments in
Hong Kong but also to the rule of law and
its questionable autonomy.
"It is clear that the rule of law in Hong Kong can be
undermined for political convenience," said Mr. LAW Yuk-kai, director of the
Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor. "If they
cannot twist people's wish they will twist the law. They rape the law in
the name of upholding it. This is no rule of law and not even rule by law."
The rule of law in
Hong Kong was established over decades of
independent interpretation of the laws by a competent and independent
judiciary without fear and favour, and independent of all political power.
Legal interpretation is done in accordance with legal principles involving
equal opportunities for the contending parties to argue for their case. Such
interpretation is not for serving political ends. After all, laws, once
enacted and short of any amendments, have their independent existence and
cannot be varied at will.
"The coming interpretation, like the previous one in June
1999, goes against all the ABCs of the concept of the rule of law," said
Law. "Beijing is burying Hong Kong's rule of
law in killing
Hong Kong people's hope for universal
suffrage in the coming years."
It is a mockery of the promise of a high degree of
autonomy.
Human Rights Monitor opposes strongly such an
interpretation. We condemn those pro-Beijing figures who jumped to show
their support to
Beijing in this damaging move against the
interests of
Hong Kong and Chinese people and society.
We call on the
Hong Kong public to voice their opposition
against the interpretation.
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