Activists in Hong Kong Sense Intimidation in the Air

HONG KONG — The abrupt resignations of three popular radio talk-show hosts in recent weeks amid accusations of political intimidation have alarmed human rights activists, who view the incidents as part of a broader mood of intolerance in this former British colony.

In addition to the departure of the prominent radio personalities, pro-democracy figures -- including members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council -- have received threatening letters, been confronted by toughs and had excrement smeared on their office doors.

“It’s very sinister and it’s being orchestrated from the mainland at a very high level,” charged Paul Harris, a prominent lawyer and chairman of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor.

He said his group had set up what he called an intimidation hotline for reporting the growing number of incidents.

Albert Cheng, whose no-holds-barred verbal attacks on the Hong Kong regional government during his daily 7 a.m.-to-10 a.m. “Teacup in a Storm” program frequently ignited issues in the morning that kept authorities backpedaling for the rest of the day, announced early this month that he was taking an extensive leave after being sprayed with paint and receiving anonymous threats of violence against him. His successor, Allen Lee, quit Wednesday after two weeks on the job, saying his friends had suddenly severed ties with him.

Lee also said he would resign as a Hong Kong delegate to China’s National People’s Congress, saying the body had little influence over government decision-making. He said that he had received numerous requests to meet with mainland officials after he took over the provocative show but that he did not return the calls, out of fear the officials would try to pressure him to tone down his remarks.

Complaints of Coercion

A third outspoken critic of the mainland government, Raymond Wong, left his program, “Close Encounter of the Political Kind,” on May 13 after complaining he had been coerced and offered bribes to tone down his anti-Beijing rhetoric.

Kin-ming Liu, managing editor of the opinion page at the freewheeling Apple Daily newspaper, which is known for its anti-government views, believes that the departure of the talk-show hosts signals Beijing’s intention to silence its most vocal media critics in Hong Kong, although he acknowledges that he has no proof.

“I think authorities in Beijing have decided that they have to take care of these people now and worry about the consequences later,” Liu said.

Pro-Beijing politicians and academics dispute whether there is enough evidence to pin the attacks on a mainland-organized campaign.

“I wouldn’t exclude the possibility, but all that’s been said has been conjecture,” said Shiu Sin-por, who heads the One Country Two Systems Research Institute, which is sympathetic to mainland political ideas. “There isn’t enough evidence to support that charge.”

Hong Kong government officials say they are determined to safeguard freedom of expression in the region, but so far they have exhibited little enthusiasm in addressing the issue. Under the terms of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty nearly seven years ago, the territory was given considerable autonomy from Beijing, but democrats fear that latitude is eroding.

Whatever the motive, the attacks have further demoralized democrats in the region, who only a few months ago believed they had a strong chance of harnessing the growing discontent with the government of Beijing-approved Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to implement reforms, including electing Tung’s successor by direct, popular vote. Tung was reelected in 2002 by a group of 800 of the territory’s elites.

Motivation Unclear

Harris, Liu and others acknowledge that there is little clear indication of what has motivated the flurry of attacks, but they speculate that Beijing is trying to diminish the strength of pro-democracy candidates in advance of September’s elections to Hong Kong’s 60-member Legislative Council.

A strong showing by democrats in those elections could set up a potential confrontation between the council and Tung on the issue of reforms.

Harris said several residents had reported receiving calls from mainland relatives warning them to vote for pro-Beijing candidates and use cellphone cameras to photograph their ballots as proof.

“We’re pushing to get mobile telephones banned from the polling booths, but there hasn’t been much reaction from the government so far,” Harris said.