STACKED IN A STORAGE room lie more than 100 documents which could clear up some of the mysteries of Hong Kong's new constitutional era. They might shed light on controversial issues such as the right of abode and whether the Government is permitted to cut civil service pay.
This legal treasure trove, collected over the past year, was due to be made available to the public for the first time on July 1, with the launching of a Basic Law library.
But just as the documents were about to be placed on the shelves, the Government expressed fears that many of the documents might be regarded by the mainland as state secrets.
Suddenly, a project which has won widespread support for aiming to develop understanding of the Basic Law is prompting comparisons with the case of Li Shaomin, the Hong Kong academic convicted of spying on the mainland as a result of his research.
'The SAR Government is responsible for looking at the issues to find out whether there has been any breach of security regulations. If we are told there is a breach, we have to investigate,' said Patrick Chan Chi-kin, a principle assistant secretary at the Constitutional Affairs Bureau.
As a result, the launching ceremony at the Central Library in Causeway Bay, due to be attended by Hong Kong and mainland officials on July 1, has been cancelled and an attempt is being made to find an alternative non-government venue prepared to exhibit the documents.
The affair has highlighted the surprising lack of fundamental materials available to members of the public interested in the SAR's history. It has also shown how vague mainland laws on state secrets and the Hong Kong Government's sensitivity over such issues can hinder much-needed research into the Basic Law.