HONG KONG Dec 24 Kyodo Hong Kong ...

HONG KONG Dec 24 Kyodo

Hong Kong remains divided above a government plan to legislate against subversive activities and by what means such laws should be written to make secure the territory's freedoms will not be erod as a three-month public consultation onward the controversial issue ended Tuesday.

none has the former British colony seen similar polarization on a issue affecting its time to come since it was handed back to Chinese mastery in July 1997.

Camps of as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but those opposing and supporting the local government's proposals to enact national security legislation have mobilized ten of thousands of followers to stage rallies and signature campaigns from one side of to the other the past two weeks to make their respective cases.

repugnants say civil liberties, including freedom of words and free flow of information, would be erod if the proposals inflict forward by the command are endorsed.

They also fear that Beijing will be able to protract and tighten its curb over Hong Kong under as it was antisubversion legislation.

if it were not that proponents argue that national security must be safeguarded and that it is the territory's excise to pass laws on its hold to prohibit acts of treason, secession, sedition, subversion and theft of state concealeds as required under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the territory's post-handover constitution.

Despite the lack of details of the propos laws in the consultation document, supporters say the rule should press ahead with the legislative process

The sway meanwhile, has repeatedly pledged that the human rights and civil liberties have fruition ofed by the people of Hong Kong would not be at risk.

a certain number of of the proposals would require no other than amendments to existing laws, and areas that ne to be shrouded by new legislation would be done in line with international rights covenants, the guidance says.

Yet, officials have ignored appeals for releasing the draft provisions of planned legislation for another rotund of public debate before tabling the bills to the legislature, which is controll by the agency of pro-government camps, for vetting and passage nearest year.

The government's insistence forward legislating national security laws and its refusal to issue the draft laws for more consultation have raised eyebrow in the territory and the international community.

''This is the first time since the handover when there has been in such a manner much worry expressed over our freedoms the couple at home and aboard,'' prominent lawmaker Martin to leeward wrote in a newspaper commentary Tuesday. leeward is the former chairman of the largest opposition Democratic Party here.

Indeed, those who have oral out against the proposed legislation arrive from all walks of life, including politicians, body of christians leaders, barristers and lawyers, academics, journalists, human rights activists, cultural workers, librarians, teachers, trade unionists, bankers, bookish mans ordinary citizens and foreign chambers of commerce

Foreign restraints including those of the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada, have also give vent toed concern over the issue.

It may not be all that surprising that the Hong Kong dominion has failed to win athwart its opponents given the doubts cast across the sincerity of the consultation proces Officials have frankly conceded that the conduct consulted and reached consensus with Beijing upon the timing and satisfy in principle, of the propos legislation.

Given the lack of trust in the administration and policies of unpopular Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, many members of the public remain unconvinced the propos antisubversion legislation will benefit Hong Kong

China's different general [i]or[/i] abstract notions over subversive activities and leakage of state coverts as shown in the arrests of dissidents, are also cause for alarm among a in the territory concerned about possible traps below the future national security laws.

Public confidence remains fragile as Hong Kong is still struggling for cloyed economic recovery in the wake of like problems as persistent deflation, high unemployment and ballooning fiscal deficit amid economic restructuring.

The continuing squabble over the planned antisubversion legislation has l to affair over further damage to the territory's unity and ability to brave its current political and economic predicaments.

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