tement of Ms. Christine Vertucci
Karch 2, 1992
On January 22, 1982, I was informed by the Hong Kong Immigration Department that my application for employment visa extension would not be renewed and that I must leave Hong Kong in 14 days. I was very surprised because for the past four years, I had received seven such extensions of stay for six-month periods as a matter of routine and without any difficulty whatsoever. I had committed no offence against the Laws of Hong Kong (or, for that matter, anywhere else in the world) to warrant this action being taken against me.
I was given no reasons for this decision which was withheld from me until the last hour of the last day before my visa was to expire (Jan. 23). It was also the last full working day before the long Chinese New Year holidays. I had been awaiting the decision since December 18, 1981, the day I filed my application for extension.
Since my arrival in Hong Kong, I have worked for the Asia Monitor Resource Center, a research and documentation center focusing on issues of economic jus- tice. I am one of the co-directors of the Center and co-editor of our economic journal, Asia Monitor. I am a lawyer by training, and I am a member of the
State Bar of California, U.S.A.
At the Center, the staff and I have been promoting better working conditions for the health and safety of electronics workers in Hong Kong through one of our research projects. In a voluntary capacity, I have been active in housing and other social issues in Hong Kong. I was involved in the campaign to re-house the Yaumatei boat dwellers on land, and as a result my name was mentioned in the documents of the Standing Committee on Pressure Groups (SCOPG), a special group, initially secret, set up by the Hong Kong government to monitor the acti- vities of pressure groups in Hong Kong. I also co-authored the report "Futting Justice and Human Rights in Focus," which described violations of civil and poli- tical rights in Hong Kong, and which was to be submitted to members of the United Nations Human Rights Committee through the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva.
Initially, the Immigration Department granted me a temporary visa of two weeks, which was to expire on Feb. 5th, to wind up my business and personal affairs of
four years.
During this time, I presented my case to the public and press of Hong Kong and began to solicit support from local and international organizations for my appeal which I submitted to the Chief Secretary on February 4, 1982. On that day, I received another temporary visa of two weeks.
The response to my request for support was overwhelming. Local groups, such as the Hong Kong Social Workers General Union, the Hong Kong Christian Industrial