The authorities blame this social unrest on "conspiracy by hostile forces within and outside China" to "negate the Deng Xiaoping line and to strive for the rehabilitation of the "June 4 Incident" - as they call the Tienanmin Square massacre.
Political pretexts are being used to try to crackdown on economic struggles. Un-
Hong Kong labor rights buried by legislature
On October 24* Hong Kong's legislature voted overwhelmingly to strike down a set of labor rights laws, passed by the former colonial assembly just one week before China took control.
Immediately after the handover, the new Beijing-appointed legislature froze the labor laws, claiming that they might make Hong Kong "less competitive."
This latest vote is the latest of a series of moves by leader Tung Chee-hwa to water down civil liberties in the territory. 22 International Viewpoint #295
About 50 protesters unfurled huge read banners outside the legislative council to denounce the debate and vote. "Don't strike down our new labor laws," the banners read.
The laws had allowed collective bargaining and guarded against anti-union discrimination, regulated trade union activities, declared May 1s a statutory holiday and provided compensation for occupational deafness. * Source: Reuters employed and without an income, growing numbers of Chinese workers are taking to the streets to fight for their basic rights.*
Notes
1 Wen Hui Bao, 25 April 1997.
2 People's Daily, 21 April 1997.
3 Wen Hui Bao, 31 May 1997.
4 Ming Pao, 19 July 1997.
5 NCNA, 28 May 1997.
6 People's Daily, 4 January 1997.
7 Ming Pao, 8 August 1997.
8 Ming Pao, 22 July 1997
9 Far Eastern Economic Review 26 June 1997.
10 Ming Pao, 21 June 1997.
11 Ming Pao, 6 August 1997.
Source: October Review Vol.24 N°4. - GPO Box 10144,
Hong Kong. E-mail <or@earthling.net>