Let grassroot protesters speak freely, China urged
China was urged by pro-democracy activists yesterday to stop suppressing grassroots activities, in the wake of its warning to activist Tong Zeng .
The Chinese authorities had told Diaoyu Islands campaign leader Mr Tong to halt his protests.
Democrat Albert Ho Chun-yan led 10 protesters to the Xinhua (the New China News Agency) office and called on China to give its full backing to the patriotic movement.
'So far, the activities have all been conducted in a peaceful and rational manner, they certainly will not affect the stability of the society,' Mr Ho said.
Unlike the Democrats' last protest about the disputed islands, when the leaders were invited into the building to hand over their petition, Xinhua's door remained firmly closed yesterday to Mr Ho and his group.
'Unfortunately, Xinhua feels this action is not to defend the Diaoyu Islands. They are not taking the letter. We regret that decision,' Mr Ho said.
In a telegram to Chinese President Jiang Zemin , a Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference standing committee member, Xu Simin , warned that the suppression of grassroots activities would upset people's support of the Government.
'If that news is true, you will lose people's hearts. That should immediately be put to a halt,' he said in the telegram.
Mr Xu also called on the Chinese Government to be firm in its protest to Japan against its claims to the islands. The chairman of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL), Frederick Fung Kin-kee, said it was unconstitutional for the authorities to tell Mr Tong to leave Beijing and halt his campaign.
'The Chinese constitution allows its people to protest peacefully as long as they apply for permits five days in advance,' he said.
'I just don't understand why the Chinese Government wants to stop this kind of campaign as the campaign does not have any conflict with the Chinese Government's stance on the islands issue.' An ADPL delegation presented a petition to the Japanese Consulate in the Tayuan district in Beijing before flying back to Hong Kong yesterday afternoon.
It is understood that the delegates presented the petition to the Japanese Consulate because they wanted to avoid the tight security at the Japanese Embassy in the Ritan district.
Mr Fung said: 'We have to send the Japanese Government a message that wherever there are Chinese people, there will be protests against their claim of sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.'
