New Territories women deserve equal rights

THE violent and uncivilised behaviour of certain New Territories men who demonstrated in opposition to Christine Loh's proposal only strengthen the arguments in favour of reform.

For years, the Heung Yee Kuk insisted that indigenous women did not object to the sexist laws and policies enforced in the New Territories.

Then, last autumn, delegations of New Territories women were brave enough to come to the Legislative Council to seek equal rights and to explain why they had been so quiet over the years - they had been threatened with physical violence if they dared to speak out. The incident on Tuesday only confirms what these women have reported.

It also makes a mockery of the argument (advanced by Andrew Wong) that the Legislative Council ''should not interfere'' with the indigenous community. Why? So that extremist men can be left alone to beat up their wives and daughters whenever they seek equal status within that community? Readers should be reminded that Ms Loh's proposal is by no means radical.

Under her amendment, men could still will their land to their sons if they wished.

The only difference would be that women would no longer be legally prohibited from inheriting land - a prohibition that has already been abolished in every other Chinese society, including the PRC, Singapore, and Taiwan.