John Tilney, M.P.,
2
28th November,
1968.
way refutes the point made by Mr. Rear; it merely brings into prominence the inconsistency in the British Govern- ment's attitude on the Emergency Regulations prevailing. in Hong Kong that Mr. Rear has attacked.
over
one
Mr. Rear's point seems simple enough: the Hong Kong Government has at present totalitarian powers the people of Hong Kong in the form of Emergency Regula- tions and in particular Regulation 31 of the Emergency (Principal) Regulations which permits the Colonial Secretary to detain any person for a period of up to year without trial, without expressing any reasons, without having any reasons. There is no requirement for the detainee to be given any reasons for his detention. At the expiration of one year the detention could be
forthwith renewed. The Hong Kong Government has, as we know, used these totalitarian powers so that to this day (nearly a year after the emergency has ended) we are told that there are still some 40 or 50 persons under
detention.
The powers which the Hong Kong Government have at present over the liberty of the people of Hong Kong
been are as absolute as have ever devised in the history
of democratic Government. The detention procedure is contrary to all ordinary standards of international behaviour as laid down by international courts and arbi- tration tribunals in decisions over very many years. The Attorney General of Hong Kong himself in referring to the powers in a speech given on January 11, 1968 on the occasion of the formal opening of the Assizes, these words: "It is an extreme and dangerous power" but (the Attorney General added) "it has been used sparingly".
used
cont.