Security chief admits to most unwanted list - News about religious cults and sects

Security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee admitted for the first time yesterday that the Immigration Department did operate an undesirables blacklist.

Her revelation came after being pressed by pro-democracy lawmakers during a Legislative Council security panel hearing to explain under what criteria people were barred from entering Hong Kong.

More than 100 overseas Falun Gong members were denied entry before President Jiang Zemin arrived for the Fortune Global Forum two weeks ago.

''In each country, the immigration authorities are aware of the fact that there is a list of people, you may say it's a 'blacklist' as termed by the media,'' Mrs Ip said. ''Each government has such a list. It's not a list that doesn't ever change. It's subject to review from time to time,'' she added. But she did not mention whether any Falun Gong member was on it.

Director of Immigration Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong had previously denied the existence of a blacklist following concerns raised by the US, British and Australian consulates over the barring of the Falun Gong overseas members ahead of President Jiang's visit.

Mrs Ip said Hong Kong's blacklist was drawn up by the head of immigration and was based on various considerations, including an individual's reason for trying to enter, what is going on in Hong Kong at the time and the person's background.

She reiterated that the decisions to bar people were made according to individual considerations and that they were not politically motivated.

The Falun Gong had said a blacklist seemed to be in operation after members claimed to witness immigration officials using special code numbers when stopping people at SAR checkpoints.

A US Consulate spokeswoman said the consul-general was still in contact with Mrs Ip over the matter. ''It is important that Hong Kong maintains its freedom and rights,'' she said.
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