Page 59 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Joint Statement on the Legislation Against

Racial Discrimination

According to the Census and Statistics Departm ent, a total of 342,198 ethnic m inorities were living in Hong Kong
as at July 2006 (Them atic R e p o rt: Ethnic Minority). This is about 5% o f the w hole Hong Kong population. As in m any
other places all over the world, ethnic m inorities are experiencing different levels of discrim ination here in Hong Kong.

In response to this, the G overnm ent in 2006 subm itted the Race D iscrim ination Bill to the LegCo after public
consultation. A concerned LegCo's Bills Com m ittee was form ed in D ecem ber 15, 2006 to scrutinize the bill.

Although the introduction o f such legislation is much w elcom ed by the EM com m unities and concerned NGOs,
we would like to propose further am endm ents on two m ajor areas so as to enhance the protection o f the legislation
on EMs. W e appeal to the support o f all LegCo m em bers on our proposal and request the G overnm ent to m ake
appropriate am endm ents before the resum ption of the second reading o f the Bill.
1. Clause 3 - Government

W e appreciate the G overnm ent's good intention and action in am ending this clause. Yet, ju st specifying "This
Ordinance binds the G overnm ent" is not sufficient. Based on the provision o f the existing three A nti-D iscrim ination
O rdinances, w e request the A dm inistration include the follow ing provision in this cla u se : "It is unlaw ful fo r the
Governm ent to discrim inate against a person o f a particular racial group in the perform ance o f its functions or the
exercise of its powers".

2. Clause 58 - Exception for Language
M any ethnic m inority persons are experiencing racial discrim ination in the form o f language discrim ination.
However, the inclusion o f C lause 58 in the Race D iscrim ination Bill will not prohibit these situations but legalize
existing discrim ination practice, which is unacceptable. W e urge the Bill Com m ittee and all LegCo m em bers to make
appropriate am endm ent to this clause. W e view that the exem ption stipulated in Clause 58 should not be provided
for Governm ent and the public bodies. They should render appropriate interpreting services to the ethnic m inorities
unless such arrangem ent will cause unjustifiable hardship* to the Governm ent or public bodies.
Based on the existing local anti-discrim ination legislations and the requirem ent o f United Nations, our governm ent
should set the minim um standard o f any discrim ination laws. Therefore, as our 4th anti-D iscrim ination laws, the future
Racial D iscrim ination O rdinance should not include any regressive clause as com pared with the previous three
C oncerned EM com m unities and NGOs will spare every effort to w ork hand in hand with the G overnm ent in order to
m ake Hong Kong a place of racial harmony.

* unjustifiable hardship is also adopted in Disability Discrimination Ordinance, please refer to :
http://www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/GraphicsFolder/showcontent.aspx?itemid=4673 for more details.

Co-signing Organizations (as at 12/6/2008)

NGOs Ethnic Minority Groups and 25. The Hong Kong Coalition fo r M igrants
1. Asian Outreach Hong Kong (亞洲歸主協會） Trade Unions Rights
Z Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association (香港小童 1. Asian Human Rights Comm ission 26. The Hong Kong Coalition o f Indonesian
群益會） M igrant W orkers Organization
2. Asian Migrants Centre
3. Christian Action ( 基督教勵行會) 27. The Indian Resources Group
3. Bethune House Migrant W o m e n 's Refuge
4. Hong Kong Christian Service (香港基督教服 4. Civil Human Rights Front 28. The Mission For M igrant W orkers -
務處） 5. Civil Rights fo r Sexual Diversities Hong Kong
5. Hong Kong Council of Social Service (香港 6. Coalition fo r M igrants Rights 29. W om e n Coalition o f HKSAR
社會服務聯會） 7. Color in Peace 30. Zi Teng
6. Hong Kong Family Welfare Society ( 香港家 8. Filipino M igrant W orkers Union
庭福利會） 9. Hong Kong Against Racial Discrimination Individuals
7. Hong Kong Unison ( 香港融樂會） 10. Hong Kong Christian Council 10 M em bers fro m Constitutional & Mainland
8. Kely Support Group (啟勵扶青會） 11. Hong Kong Christian Institute A f f a i r s B u r e a u ' s C o m m i t t e e o n t h e
9. Mission to New Arrivals ( 新福事工協會） 12. Hong Kong Human Rights M onitor P rom otion o f Racial Harm ony
10. Mother’ s Choice ( 母親的抉擇） 13. Hong Kong Islamic Y outh Association
11. Oxfam (Hong K o n g )(樂施會） 14. Hong Kong Nepalese Federation 1. M s Raees Begum Baig
12_ SKH Lady Madehose Centre ( 聖公會麥理浩 15. Human W elfare Services 2. M s Aruna Gurung
夫人中心） 16. Indonesian Migrant W orkers Union 3. M s Devi Novianti
13. The Child Development Centre (明德兒童啟 17. International Human Rights Forum 4. M s Vandana Rajwani
育中心） 18. International Human Rights Foundation 5. Mr. Buddhi Bahadur Thapa
14. United Christian Nethersole Community 19. M t Herm on House o f Prayer 6. M s W o n g W ai Fun, Fermi
Health Centre (基督教聯合那打素社康服務) 20. M AGAR Association Hong Kong 7. Mr. James Arthur Elms
15. Watchdog Limited ( 監護者） 21. Non-Chinese Residents - W om e n Force 8. Mr. Manohar Chugh
22. Pakistan Association o f Hong Kong 9. M uham m ed Javed Shahab
16. Young M en's Christian Association of Hong
Kong ( 香港基督教青年會） 23. S ociety for Cultural Integration 10. M r. A m arje et Singh Khosa
24. Southern D em ocratic Alliance