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UN to hear 'truth' on human rights

HUMAN rights activists have vowed to complain to the United Nations about the Hong Kong Government's inertia in promoting human rights.

Their pledge came yesterday as the Government released a report on Hong Kong handed in to the UN by Britain under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

It is the last report to be submitted by London before 1997. China is not a signatory and will not make a Hong Kong report.

Submitted last week, it covers progress in human rights issues since the report four years ago.

Among the highlights in the 138-page report are: Enactment of the Bill of Rights Ordinance and the subsequent amendment of 29 pieces of legislation to bring them in line with the ordinance; Enactment of the Sex Discrimination Ordinance which provides for the establishment of an Equal Opportunities Commission; Making legal aid available for Bill of Rights cases; Extending the powers of the ombudsman and allowing people to directly lodge complaints with him.

But some human rights campaigners criticised the Government for trying to paint a rosy picture to the UN. They vowed to present a true picture at a UN hearing in October.

A spokesman for the non-government Human Rights Commission, Mary Yuen Mee-yin, said: 'We have the Bill of Rights Ordinance now. But it is not altogether a happy ending.' 'The Government has been slack in reviewing the laws, for example the Public Order Ordinance, and it has rejected the setting up of a human rights commission to safeguard human rights here,' Ms Yuen said.

The report said the administration ruled out setting up the commission because 'human rights in Hong Kong are founded on the rule of law, a truly independent judiciary and the Bill of Rights Ordinance'.

A Movement Against Discrimination spokesman said: 'We believe the post-1997 Government should follow the practice and file a report to the UN.'

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