HK activists to set up Tibetan association

Several activists from the fringe of Hong Kong's pan-democratic camp are planning to set up a friendship group to promote 'Tibetan culture' following their meeting with the Dalai Lama.

The move has alarmed Beijing, which has called the overseas equivalents of such friendship groups 'political mouthpieces' of the exiled spiritual leader. The central government labels the Dalai Lama a splittist and blames him for deadly riots that broke out last year in western parts of the country.

The Hong Kong activists said they would not promote Tibetan independence through their plans to create a Tibetan-Chinese Friendship Association, although they did back the Dalai Lama's pursuit of more autonomy for Tibetans.

'It is the first time people from Hong Kong have started a relationship with the Dalai Lama. We have to do one thing at a time and first promote the culture of Tibet and tourism,' said James Lung Wai-man, of the Southern Democratic Alliance. Mr Lung was a member of a 30-strong delegation received by the Dalai Lama in March.

'While we support the Dalai Lama's concept of seeking autonomy through a middle way similar to Hong Kong's 'one country, two systems', openly displaying the snow lion flag [of Tibet] from the start like [Christina] Chan Hau-man will only lead to disaster.' Mr Lung was referring to the University of Hong Kong activist who was detained by police for waving the flag, which the government-in-exile uses, in a protest during the Olympic torch relay last year in Hong Kong.

The Tibetan question has always been a sensitive one in the city. Several overseas activists backing the Dalai Lama were refused entry to Hong Kong during the Olympic torch relay, and the Foreign Ministry's office pressured the Foreign Correspondents' Club to postpone a speaking function by Kate Saunders, of the International Campaign for Tibet, when she visited in April.