TNAG-2487-FCO40-3618-Future-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1992 — Page 190

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The Secretary for Constitutional Affairs comments

Human Rights Commission

Given

for redressing

the existing avenues

grievances arising from human rights complaints and the active role being played by the courts, we consider that there is not a demonstrated need for

the establishment of a Human Rights Commission.

This is particularly SO since the BOR does not

cover inter-citizen rights. Apart from the six ordinances under freeze, we have also kept other legislation under review and cases of possible or

determined incompatibility with the BOR will be

dealt with as they arise, whether as a result of

our own review and research or of cases determined

by the courts. The Committee on the Promotion of

Civic Education has also taken on the

responsibility to organize public education on

human rights."

a

The idea (see last sentence of penultimate

paragraph

on page 107) that

Commission

monitoring body should be established to keep an eye on the work of the JLG (amongst other things) is totally unworkable since the Joint Declaration (JD 196) requires confidentiality.

The

last paragraph on page 107 about the Optional

Protocol to the ICCPR is a matter for HMG.