Hong Kong Bishop Urges Accommodation for Mainland Refugees

HONG KONG, Jan 16, 02 (CWNews.com) - Bishop Joseph Zen, co-adjutor of Hong Kong, will call on the city-region's leader in the diocesan newspaper to grant residency to thousands of mainland Chinese refugees.

In a letter to be published on Sunday, Bishop Zen said the government of Tung Chee-hwa should show compassion. "Now what is needed is for Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, the highest authority in this community, to grant a concession to these few thousand people," he said. "Is Hong Kong's immigration policy so sacred that it is possible to disregard one of the most fundamental and internationally-recognized human rights - family unity?"

Nearly 5,000 mainland Chinese will be deported from the semi-autonomous territory starting in April after they lost a long legal battle to remain in Hong Kong with their families. Fears of forced repatriation were fanned when security chief Regina Ip said on Tuesday that they may use "minimum force" to repatriate the illegal aliens.

Catholic World News Service - Daily News Briefs
16. januar 2002