XN000022-1990-03-01 — Page 16

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THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1990

"FREEDOM IS NOT GUARANTEED BY DEMOCRACY AS EXPRESSED BY DIRECT ELECTION... FREEDOM IS GUARANTEED WHERE FREE MEN LIVE IN DIGNITY UNDER JUST LAWS.

"A LOT OF TIMES DEMOCRACY FAILS TO GUARANTEE THIS DIGNITY AND JUSTICE. FOR DEMOCRACY IN THE SENSE OF ONE MAN, ONE VOTE IS MERELY A MEANS TO AN END.

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"I THINK, HE SAID, "DEMOCRACY SUCCEEDS BEST WHEN IT RESTS ON A SOLID BASE. THOSE WHO CREATE WEALTH ARE THE TRUE DEMOCRATS.

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WHAT THE COUNCIL NEEDED, NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE, WAS A BALANCED VOICE, WITH NOT ONLY LIBERALS BUT COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORS ALSO FIRMLY REPRESENTED THROUGH THEIR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, MR TIEN SAID.

COMMUNITY MUST SHOW COURAGE AND DETERMINATION

THE HON ELSIE TU

URGED THE COMMUNITY TODAY (THURSDAY) то

MUSTER COURAGE AND DETERMINATION TO SECURE HONG KONG'S FUTURE.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM, MRS TU SAID HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST FACE THE TASK AHEAD OF THEM, AND THEY MUST BEGIN TO DO SO NOW.

WHEN THE CHIPS WERE DOWN, THERE WAS NOTHING MORE WE COULD DO EXCEPT TO PICK OURSELVES UP AND LOOK FOR OTHER WAYS TO SUCCEED.

"IF WE STOP TO FLOG A DEAD HORSE ( (THE POLITICAL MODEL WHICH WE STILL THINK BEST FOR HONG KONG), WE MAY MISS THE REMAINDER OF THE RACE (1997), SHE SAID.

MRS TU BELIEVED THAT HARSH WORDS, FIST-RAISING AND EFFIGY-BURNING WOULD ONLY SERVE TO FUEL PUBLIC FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY, WHEREAS POSITIVE ACTIONS COULD INFLUENCE CHINA FAR MORE.

"WE MUST SEEK FREEDOM, EQUALITY, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL SECURITY, AND ALL THESE THINGS ARE INTERDEPENDENT. ONLY BY THIS MEANS CAN WE PROVE TO CHINA THAT DEMOCRACY WILL SUCCEED IN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, SHE SAID.

CITING EXAMPLES OF ISSUES THAT MUST BE ATTENDED ΤΟ IN THE YEARS AHEAD, TO ENSURE THAT OUR SOCIETY WAS TRULY DEMOCRATIC, MRS TU SAID WE MUST ADDRESS THE SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR RECORD OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD TRUE FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA WHICH WOULD BE THE MOUTHPIECE OF DEMOCRACY. AT THE SAME TIME, THE MEDIA SHOULD HOLD TRUTH MORE VALUABLE THAN SENSATION.

/MRS TU