XN000022-1990-06-27 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27. 1990

"ON THE CONTRARY, THE JOINT DECLARATION SPECIFICALLY DECREES THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (ICCPR), FROM WHICH THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS COPIED ALMOST WORD FOR WORD, SHALL REMAIN IN FORCE AFTER 1997," HE SAID.

IN HIS. VIEW, A BILL OF RIGHTS REPRESENTED THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND CONVENIENT WAY OF FULFILLING THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 39.

HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT ONCE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT FULLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BILL OF RIGHTS MERELY OBEYED ITS OWN IMPERATIVE LANGUAGE IN THE BASIC LAW, THEY WOULD CEASE OBJECTING TO HONG BEING GIVEN A BILL OF RIGHTS.

KONG

BILL

AND

THE SECOND MISCONCEPTION CENTRED AROUND THE FEAR THAT "A OF RIGHTS MIGHT SEVERELY HINDER THE EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF LAW ORDER, AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE ANTI-CORRUPTION ACTIVITIES OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION".

HE SAID, "THIS FEAR HAS NO FOUNDATION IN FACT, AND INDEED THE EXPERIENCE OF THE MANY COUNTRIES WITH BOTH A BILL OF RIGHTS AND STRONG ANTI-CRIME AND ANTI-CORRUPTION LAWS DEMONSTRATES THAT HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION IS IN NO WAY INCOMPATIBLE WITH EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT."

HE ADDED: "THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS NOT A SWORD THAT THREATENS EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT; RATHER THE BILL PROVIDES FOR A SHIELD AGAINST VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

H

THE THIRD MISCONCEPTION WAS THAT ONCE THE BILL OF RIGHTS WAS ENACTED, THEN ALL OUR RIGHTS WOULD BE EFFECTIVELY PROTECTED.

HE SAID THAT IF THE PRESENT OR FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG WAS NOT FULLY COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING THE BILL, OR IF THE PEOPLE OF HÒNG KONG DID NOT KNOW OR WERE NOT EAGER TO PROTECT THEIR OWN THEN THE RIGHTS IN THE BILL WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY USELESS.

RIGHTS,

0

SEXUAL EQUALITY WILL UPSET SOCIAL STRUCTURE IN NT

UNDER THE

BILL OF VILLAGERS TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE

THE PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE SEXUAL EQUALITY RIGHTS WILL UPSET THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE INDIGENOUS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

ΤΑΙ CHIN-WAH

THE NEW WAS A MEMBER

SPEAKING IN DEBATE ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS, MR TAI EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE CURRENTLY SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF TSO'S AND TONG'S IN TERRITORIES AND ALMOST EVERY INDIGENOUS VILLAGER THERE OF A TONG OR TSO.

THE

EQUAL CIVIL RIGHTS AND PRACTICES THAT

TRADITIONS

HE WAS CONCERNED THAT ARTICLE ONE OF WOULD DISTURB THE EQUILIBRIUM OF THE HAD BEEN OBSERVED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

/MR TAI

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