Unlikely allies against HK subversion bill

The Falun Gong movement fears it could be targeted

By Damian Grammaticas BBC Hong Kong correspondent

The Roman Catholic Church and the spiritual group Falun Gong are joining forces in Hong Kong to fight new anti-treason laws.

The recently-appointed Catholic Bishop for Hong Kong, Joseph Zen, has said the regulations currently being drawn up threaten Falun Gong's freedom to practice in the territory.

Bishop Zen's outspoken stance has brought him into conflict with the governments in Hong Kong and China, and has made him one of the most high-profile defenders of Hong Kong's freedoms.

Bishop Zen has proved himself a dogged campaigner

Bishop Zen was only appointed a few weeks ago following the death of Cardinal John Baptist Wu, but he has already had a profound impact on the territory.

Joseph Zen, 70, is a small, slight figure, with an impish sense of humour and the energy of a much younger man. Most of all, he is a dogged campaigner against poverty, discrimination and repression.

He has already challenged Hong Kong's chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, head on.

"We have the impression that Mr Tung sometime may abdicate to his own responsibility, and Mr Tung doesn't talk much about those issues," he has said.

'Defending freedom'

But the main issue they have clashed on is Hong Kong's proposed new treason laws. With China's backing, Mr Tung wants to implement far-reaching new legislation.

Any organisation the Chinese government deems a threat to its national security is likely to be banned in Hong Kong too.

Mr Tung says his proposals do not conflict with Hong Kong's constitution or two human rights treaties the territory has signed.

"The proposals are fully consistent with the basic law human rights ordinance and the two international covenants as applied to Hong Kong," he said.

"I wish to emphasise our proposal will not undermine in any way the existing human rights and civil liberties enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong," he said.

But Bishop Zen is not reassured. He is fearful that groups like the Falun Gong movement, which blends Buddhism and traditional Chinese qi gong, or spiritual healing, will no longer be free to practice in Hong Kong.

"Freedom has to be defended. You cannot take that for granted," he said. "It's not a gift, it's a right.

"If they damage the freedom, everybody should be considered.

"If we can be sure that they (Falun Gong practitioners) have done nothing illegal or violent then they should not be persecuted."

Joining forces

The Falun Gong movement has been outlawed in China for several years.

If Hong Kong's new legislation is enacted, all China would have to do is designate the group an official security threat and its existence in the territory would be threatened, the Falun Gong has said.

"The label that the Chinese Government has slapped on Falun Gong has changed three or four times from not registered, to illegal organisation, to reactionary group, to an inter-China political force, to evil cult," said Sharon Shu, a Falun Gong spokeswoman,

"All these labels were slapped onto Falun Gong practitioners without any legal procedures. So that label can change at any time."

It is an unlikely alliance - the Catholic Church and the Falun Gong.

Marginalised already in Hong Kong, Falun Gong is grateful for any support it gets. But Bishop Zen is also concerned about the future of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican has relations with Taiwan, not Beijing. It also has links with an estimated 10 million members of the underground Catholic Church inside China.

That might be grounds enough for it to be banned too.

"If tomorrow they say the underground church in China is dangerous for the state and then they say you are the same Catholic Church, and then we are in trouble," said Bishop Zen.