1965 — Page 248

474

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 248 of 382

475

MOTION.

Continuation of debate on the following motion moved by Dr. R. H. S. LEE at a meeting of the Council held on 6th December, 1965:-

That this Council endorse the Statement of Aims for 1966 tabled today.

CHAIRMAN:-The debate on the Statement of Aims for 1966, which was adjourned from yesterday's meeting, will now resume. The first speaker on this motion today is Mr. H. CHEONG-LEEN.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, if I should sound a little rubber-voiced in my introductory paragraphs, the reason for that is my distinguished colleague on my right, Dr. Alison BELL, has been feeding me with life savers. (Laughter). It is for a good cause anyway, and I hope my colleagues will put up with me.

In reading the papers this morning, on some of the speeches which were made yesterday, I noticed in particular one comment, that this debate is one which covers the entire gamut of Hong Kong affairs, and it brings to mind, Mr. Chairman, the latest fashion in the world to-day, in the free world, of having teach-ins. And it does seem to me that to-day's debate and also yesterday's debate is similar to a teach-in and I would suggest that serious consideration be given next year to calling it a teach-in and inviting all the senior officers of the Secretariat to come here and listen to us at this teach-in. I think it would be very salutary for them.

Three days from to-day-the 10th of December to be exact-will witness the Seventeenth Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations.

The 10th of December this year will also be the Second Anniversary of the Hong Kong Declaration of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms adopted by the Human Rights Council of Hong Kong.

A copy of this Declaration is in front of each member of the Urban Council.

Paragraph 13-(A) of the Hong Kong Declaration states:

"Every person has the right to a nationality of his own choice and free will".

Under the laws of Hong Kong, every person not born in Hong Kong and who is not a British Subject is an alien and therefore a potential deportee.

There are about 2 million residents who were not born here, but who take Hong Kong as their permanent home.

These 2 million people come under the shadow of the Deportation Ordinance and the Emergency (Deportation and Detention) Regulations of 1962.

Because they have taken Hong Kong as their permanent home, and they have nowhere else to go, they long for the establishment of some form of local citizenship which would remove the shadow of deportation from their lives.

I have met quite a few permanent local residents, Mr. Chairman, who have told me in all seriousness that they dare not criticize the Government even on minor matters for fear that they would be arrested by mistake and detained in Stanley.

The Chinese community, especially the local intellectuals, have an intense dislike for the Emergency (Deportation and Detention) Regulations, which though apparently sound in codification are open to subtle forms of abuse when put into practice.

In many cases of deportation of local residents of Chinese origin, neither Taiwan nor the mainland will accept such cases.

They can only be kept in detention in Stanley until such time as it pleases Executive Council, irrespective of whether or not any detention advisory tribunal should recommend release.

There are some very grave misapprehensions in the minds of the local community as to the efficacy and fundamental justice of the Emergency (Deportation and Detention) Regulations, and I would urge Government to review these Regulations as they are applied in practice as soon as possible.

No one can deny that Government has a serious obligation to provide order and security for Hong Kong's nearly 4 million people. To do so, Government should seek the active co-operation of local residents by creating a local citizenship, and give people a sense of belonging, of civic pride and of local loyalty.

Until such local citizenship is created, I can only re-emphasize the need for Government to review the regulations and procedures on deportation and detention, and to make such changes as are required so that in actual practice our laws will be more just, more humane, and more in accordance with the spirit of basic human rights.

I request Sir, that you be good enough to convey these sentiments to the Colonial Secretary, and through him to His Excellency the Governor for consideration.

I would also request that a reply be forwarded to me direct by Government as to its intentions, since you, Mr. Chairman, have regrettably... (text cut off)