Page 52 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Justice and Social Concern Committee

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T he Committee s chaired b y Dr. AIice Yuk Tak-fun. (c) Review of the Control of Obscene and c _ u
The Executive Staff is Mr. Wan Hoi-wing. Indecent Articles Ordinance s t i
1.Policy advocacy and social The Government launched the first round public c 0
concern consultation of the Control of Obscene and Indecent Q) n d
Articles Ordinance (COIAO) in October 2008. HKCC
(a) Racial Discrimination
Executive Secretary Mr. Wan Hoi-wing attended an s o
In spite of the narrow coverage of the Racial expert meeting organized by the Commerce and c
Discrimination Bill and its limited binding effect on Economic Development Bureau on the evaluation of the
the Government, the Bill was finally passed in the COIAO on November 19, 2008. Besides, the Committee ia lo
Legislative Council after amendment. The Committee held a conference on the issue on the evening of January onc
and other concerned organizations met with Mr.
7, 2009 at Kowloon Union Church and subsequently CD
Raymond Tang, Chairperson of Equal Opportunities submitted a proposal on the evaluation of the COIAO to m
Commission (EOC) on September 10, 2008 concerning the Government on February 5, 2009. o
the details and progress about the implementation of
the Bill. Subsequently, EOC consulted the public on (d) Policy address ommitt
the Race Discrimination Ordinance Code of Practice
Facing the adverse impact on Hong Kong by
on Employment. Regarding such public consultation, CD
the global economic recession, Mr. Donald Tsang, e
the Committee held a seminar named "From Racial
the Chief Executive, delivered the Policy Address for
Discrimination to Racial Harmony" at Shum Oi Church of
the year 2008/09 on October 15, 2008. The address
The Church of Christ in China on the evening of January
mostly emphasized the development of the financial
16, 2009 and subsequently submitted a proposal to EOC
system but did not cover improvement for the ordinary
on January 19, 2009.
citizens with regard to institutional, structural aspects.
In March 2009 a Nepalese Hong Kong citizen In view of such, the Committee and other concerned
Limbu Dil Bahadur was shot dead by the police. Christian groups announced a declaration under the title
The Committee and other concerned social groups “Christian Response to the Policy Address 2008 Facing
sent an official letter to Mr. Donald Tsang, the Chief the Financial Tsunami” on October 24, 2008 calling for
Executive, in early May 2009 demanding an independent proactive actions by the Chief Executive in response to
investigative committee be set up immediately to make demands from the grassroots.
thorough inquiry into the incident. There was also a
(e) The Financial Budget
request for an increase in the power of the Independent
Police Complaints Council which could then conduct The Committee sent a proposal on the Financial
independent investigations into complaints against the Budget for the year 2009-2010 on January 20, 2009
Hong Kong Police Force and individual police officers. and co-organized a prayer meeting with other Christian
organizations on the night of February 24, 2009, the eve
(b) Amendments on the Domestic Violence of the announcement of the financial budget. The prayer
Ordinance meeting was held outside the Legislative Council to pray
for those being affected by the financial tsunami and
In December 2008, the Government proposed to
those who would be affected by the financial budget to
amend the Domestic Violence Ordinance (DVO) to cover
be announced on the following day.
same-sex cohabitants. This proposal aroused public
concern. The committee held a conference relating The Council also issued a declaration on the financial
to the issue on the afternoon of January 18, 2009 at tsunami to all churches and media on December 17, 2008.
Shum Oi Church of The Church of Christ in China and
subsequently submitted a proposal on the amendments (f) Gambling Watch
on DVO to the Legislative Council on January 20, 2009.
The Committee is a member of Gambling Watch.
In February 2009, the Executive Secretary Mr. Wan Early this year, The Hong Kong Jockey Club applied
Hoi Wing, together with concerned Christian groups, to the Government for an increase by five local horse-
met with Legislator Wong Sing-chi concerning the racing days on the grounds of a drop in horseracing
amendment of the Regulations and in addition, attended bets. The Gambling Watch published a declaration in
the weekly gathering of the Student Union of the Divinity a local newspaper on April 23, 2009, the day before a
School of Chung Chi College and the Fellowship of meeting of the Betting and Lotteries Commission, to
Evangelistic Workers of the Diocese of Eastern Kowloon, voice opposition to the increase of horse-racing days.
as a guest speaker on February 26, 2009 and February Subsequently, the Gambling Watch held a protest
27, 2009 respectively, to give opinions on the matter. outside the Legislative Council (LegCo) on July 10, 2009,

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