TNAG-0733-FCO40-937-Inquiries-on-democracy-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 68

URBAN

COUNCE

市政品

Mr. Hooley is tabled in the Hansard: "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by the People's Republic of China concerning democratic reform and democratic participation in legislative processes in Hong Kong." Mr. Evan Luard, for the Ministry, replied in one word: "NONE".

10.

Furthermore, our neighbouring Portuguese colony, Macau, has recently introduced constitutional changes giving the people voting rights for the legislature. Relations between Macau and China have never been better. Portugual was originally excluded from the European community because of its undemocratic type of Government. It is there- fore ironical that Portugal has taken the lead over Britain by introd- ucing reforms in the Chinese territory Macau, while the Labour Government of Britain, the Father of Democracies so-called, will permit vested colonial business interests to deprive the people of this British colony of their democratic rights, and will quote a lie to cover up the misdeed.

11. The undersigned therefore request that the British Government and the people of Britain reconsider the injustices perpetrated in Hong Kong through deliberate denial of human and political rights to the people born in the colony of Hong Kong, and that steps be taken to introduce democratic changes long overdue to a peace-loving and law- abiding people. The following are our proposals:-

(a)

A Legislature of which one third is directly elected, one third appointed and one third indirectly elected by professional colleagues; (4

(b) A gradual phasing out of appointed members of the Urban Council

at the rate of four every two years;

(c) An expanded franchise to include all long term adult residents of

Hong Kong;

(d) Expansion of Urban Council jurisdiction to include Housing, Social

Welfare, Town Planning, etc.

Yours sincerely,

(Elsie Elliott)

& Mucti bructans

(Denny Huang)

市政局·香港愛丁堡廣塲

(Tsin Sai Nin)

(Independent Elected Urban Councillors)

Urban Council Chambers, Edinburgh Place, Hongkong