Hong Kong Simmers Over Bill

The beleaguered leader of Hong Kong may have removed some of the teeth from a controversial anti-subversion bill that drew half a million protesters onto the streets. But that may not be enough to quell the anger of people who have come to see him as the symbol of their growing woes.

“This whole thing has transcended Article 23,” said Wai-hong Yeung, publisher of Next Magazine in Hong Kong, referring to the disputed legislation. “They don’t really care about Article 23 anymore. They just want to get rid of him.”

Perhaps realizing that his political future is on the line, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa announced Saturday that he would do away with some of the most troubling aspects of the bill to ensure that civil liberties in Hong Kong would not be violated. The changes include more protection for journalists who publish information the Chinese government considers state secrets and allowing the existence of local organizations with links to groups banned in mainland China.

Opponents say the revisions do not go far enough.

“It is still not satisfactory,” said Richard Tsoi, spokesman for the Civil Human Rights Front, which organized the massive July 1 rally. “The majority of people of Hong Kong will oppose the bill entirely and want the vote to be delayed indefinitely so there can be more discussions within the community.”

It is unclear whether the new version has a better chance of passage in a divided legislature. Sponsors of the bill suffered a major blow when members of the pro-government Liberal Party said they wanted it shelved for the time being. Even some typically pro-China legislators began to reconsider their stance after the massive demonstration Tuesday, which also marked the sixth anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule.

Since the 1997 handover, the former British colony has seemed to suffer one blow after another, from the Asian financial crisis to the SARS outbreak. The island’s vibrant economy has lost it luster, and now its prized political independence hangs in the wind.

Much frustration has been directed at the Beijing-appointed chief executive. Critics say his poor handling of the SARS crisis was bad enough. Now they accuse him of proving once again that he is out of touch with the people and incapable of fixing Hong Kong’s problems.

“The government in the past few days, especially the chief executive, never made any dialogue with the Hong Kong people,” Tsoi said. “So how, we can’t understand, the government would think these concessions they made today can fully ease people’s worries?”

If the government forces the legislation through on Wednesday, critics say, new demonstrations will result and they may be less tame than the one last week.

“Tung’s days may be numbered if he doesn’t come up with more substantial concessions,” said Law Yuk-kai, director of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, an independent watchdog group. “If it passes, there would be another mass turnout and negative energy would multiply. Some people may express their anger in more radical ways.”

That could cost Tung the confidence even of his Beijing backers. Critics point out that lawmaker James Tien from the Liberal Party returned from discussions in Beijing last week to support postponing the vote -- a telling sign.

“The Beijing leadership is going over his head to reach down to the people to get a real assessment of the situation,” Yeung said.

The mainland supports the anti-subversion law to prevent the island from turning into a base for what it deems subversive activities. But officials there have insisted that the bill’s content and timing should be up to the people of Hong Kong. On Saturday they endorsed the changes made by Tung and urged the island to pass the provision this week.

“The amendments to some articles are appropriate, and we believe the public will recognize and accept them,” said an unnamed official with China’s parliament, according to the official New China News Agency.