RECEN
Y.B, LOW
PO. Box 8702
HK Debt
10
The Chairman
HUB14/34
Colonialism Commission,
United Nations Organization,
New York, N.Y., 10017
Dear Sir,
Mongkok,
HONG KONG
October 14th, 1967
COPY FOR HON MR.GEORGE THOMPSON, LONDON
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On May 9th, 1967, with the outbreak of riots and strikes in Hong Kong, the local Police Force was placed on an "emergency" footing, i.e. subject to duty within ten minutes' notice.
In October, 1967, the very comprehensive PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE (1967), Hongkong, was promulgated. This is perhaps one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation set out in any country; it includes clauses relating to the forcible dispersal of relgious meetings upto the amount of force necessary for breaking down a door; from the authority vested in the Hongkong Government to detain any aircraft or ships to the prohibitions of uniforms or badges. These are very wide powers, by any account.
However, SECTION 5 of this iniquitous law reads: "TO PROHIBIT ANY MEMBERS OR ADHERENTS OF ANY SOCITY OR PUBLIC BODY FROM BEING ORGANISED TRAINED OR EQUIPPED IN SUCH A MA NER THAT IT USURPS OR MAY USURP OR MAY APPEAR TO USURP THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POLICE FORCE."
This clause may seem harmless, at first sight. In practice, it is a tyrannical infringement of the fundamental human rights.
When the Hon kong Police went on a so-called "emergenoy" footing in May, 196u, there was a wide spread breakdown of law and order. To quote a Chinese newspaper (NEW LIFE DAILY - October 1967), "like bamboo sprouts soaring in the sprin- breezes, an army of hawkers, obscene cinemas, naked prostitutes, drug peddlers, heroin sellers, gangsters, hoodlums, French postcard vendors, gambling and roulette stalls be gan operating OPENLY IN PUBLIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREETS, in marketplaces, and at ferry and transportation centers." People waiting for transport, walking along pavements, were accosted in the streets, women were robbed by scores, handbags and earrings snatched brutally, while the public streets became a kind of open brothel."
Did the Hongkong Police do mything about this? They were on an Emergency footing, and hadno time for such "trifles". White-slave traffickers started a roaring business. Mushrooming so-called bogus model and film agencies commenced coering young children into the white-slave traffic right here in Hongkong.
If these conditions are repeated, I can envisage the absolute necessity of CITIZENS' CLEAN-UP PATROLS, usurpation or not.
I, therefore, STRONGLY protest against this iniquitous SECTION 5 of the HONGKONG PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE, which is a negation of the fundamental responsibility of the citizen to band together for the protection of his life and family. It denies to him the right of organised self-defence, when general lawlessness prevails. I appearl, therefore, to the UNITED NATIONS to investigate this act of TYRANNY.
oc.H.E. Corneliu Manescu,
Chairman, General Assembly, U.N.O. cc.Colonial Secretary, London & Hongkong
Y.B. LOW
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