ليا
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1994
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LEAVE,
THE FAC ALSO RECOMMEND AS ITS PREDECESSOR DID IN 1989 THAT BRITAIN SHOULD GIVE FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE NON-CHINESE ETHNIC MINORITY RESIDENTS IN HONG KONG. IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN THEY RECOMMEND THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT GO FURTHER THAN ITS EXISTING PLEDGE AND STATE PUBLICLY THAT IF THIS GROUP ENCOUNTER DISCRIMINATION IN THE NEW SAR, WHETHER OR NOT THEY FACE EXPLICIT PRESSURE TO THEY WILL BE GIVEN EVERY HELP TO ENTER BRITAIN AND ACQUIRE CITIZENSHIP. AGAIN, I HAVE CONSISTENTLY PRESSED UPON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
AS HAS THIS COUNCIL THE CASE FOR FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES. UUR EFFORTS HAVE NOT YET BORNE FRUIT.
BUT WE SHALL CONTINUE TO ARGUE THE CASE, AND THIS RECOMMENDATION BY THE FAC WILL BE AN EXTRA STRING TO OUR BOW.
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BRITISH
THE FAC REPORT MAKES THOUGHTFUL AND DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT REINFORCING HUMAN RIGHTS IN HONG KONG. IT CONTAINS FOUR SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. AGAIN, WE WILL WANT TO THINK ABOUT THESE CAREFULLY. MY STARTING POINT IS THAT WE MUST INDEED DO ALL WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE WHICH INCLUDES RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUES BEYOND 1997, AS THE JOINT DECLARATION PLEDGES IT ABOVE ALL, THAT MEANS ENSURING THAT HONG KONG'S INSTITUTIONAL
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WILL. FRAMEWORK
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THE FRAMEWORK WHICH PROTECTS THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THIS OPEN SOCIETY IS IN AS STRONG AND AS HEALTHY A STATE AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT IS INHERITED BY THE SAN.
THE FAC'S KEY RECOMMENDATION IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. WE WILL WANT TO LOOK AGAIN AT ALL THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THIS. THE FAC ALSO STRONGLY SUPPORT POSITIVE ACTION TO END SEX DISCRIMINATION IN HONG KONG. AS HONOURABLE MEMBERS KNOW, WE PUBLISHED A GREEN PAPER LAST YEAR ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND MEN AND SOUGHT THE PUBLIC'S VIEWS. WE SHALL BE SEEKING EXCO'S VIEWS SHORTLY ON A STRATEGY TO PROMOTE EQUALITY BETWEEN THE SEXES IN HONG KONG. THE POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE THE EXTENSION OF CEDAW TO HONG KONG; THE ENACTMENT OF SEX DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION; AND IMPROVED MEASURES TO PROMOTE EDUCATION ON GENDER EQUALITY.
IN
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES HAVE RISEN TO TOP OF THE PUBLIC AGENDA RECENT WEEKS. THE PROPER PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS FUNDAMENTAL ΤΟ A FREE SOCIETY. I WANT TO SAY A WORD, IN THIS CONTEXT ABOUT THE ICAC, WHICH HAS FOUND ITSELF THRUST INTO THIS DEBATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN RECENT WEEKS. I WANT TO REPEAT THREE POINTS, IN VIEW OF THE UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS WHICH WERE MADE UNDER THE SHIELD OF IMMUNITY IN THIS COUNCIL A WEEK AGO.
ANY
THAT WOULD BE AGAINST THE ITS JOB IS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION
LAWS
FIRST, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN NOR WILL THERE BE POLITICISATION OF THE ICAC. WITHIN WHICH IT OPERATES. NO MORE, NO LESS.
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