DEMOCRATIC PARTY VICE CHAIRMAN AND LEGISLATOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L HONG KONG 003374

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DEPT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2031
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL HK CH
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC PARTY VICE CHAIRMAN AND LEGISLATOR
PUBLICLY BEATEN UP

CLASSIFIED BY: E/P CHIEF LAURENT CHARBONNET. REASONS: 1.4(B,D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: FOUR BAT-WIELDING ASSAILANTS ATTACKED
DEMOCRATIC PARTY (DP) VICE CHAIRMAN ALBERT HO ON AUGUST 20;
HO SUFFERED INJURIES TO HIS HEAD, ARM, AND FACE. AFTER
VISITING THE LAWMAKER IN THE HOSPITAL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE (CE)
DONALD TSANG DECLARED, "WE WILL ARREST THEM (THE CULPRITS)
AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE...I DON'T CARE HOW LONG IT WILL
TAKE." LAWMAKERS FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM ALSO
DENOUNCED THE VIOLENCE. LAU KONG-WAH, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE
PRO-BEIJING DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTERMENT AND
PROGRESS OF HONG KONG (DAB),COMPLAINED THAT POLICE HAD
DOWNPLAYED LAWMAKERS' PREVIOUS REPORTS OF VANDALISM OR
INTIMIDATION AND SUGGESTED THAT POLICE PROVIDE BETTER
PROTECTION FOR LEGISLATORS. THE ASSAILANTS' MOTIVE WAS NOT
IMMEDIATELY CLEAR, BUT THE MEDIA IS SPECULATING THAT THE
ASSAULT MAY BE RELATED TO HIS WORK AS AN ATTORNEY FOR WINNIE
HO (NO RELATION TO ALBERT). WINNIE HO, THE YOUNGER SISTER OF
CASINO TYCOON STANLEY HO, HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE
TYCOON'S LISTING OF THE SOCIEDADE DE JOGOS DE MACAU; SHE HAS
ALSO RUN FULL-PAGE ADS IN THE LOCAL CHINESE NEWSPAPERS
ACCUSING HER BROTHER OF MONEY LAUNDERING. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) COMMENT: ALBERT HO WEARS MANY HATS AND IS FREQUENTLY
IN THE MIDDLE OF CONTROVERSIAL ACTIVITIES AND POSITIONS. HE
IS REPORTEDLY THE ONLY LEGISLATOR TO HAVE PUBLICLY SPOKEN OUT
ON BEHALF OF THE FALUNGONG AND HEADS AN ORGANIZATION BEIJING
CONSIDERS SUBVERSIVE. THAT SAID, BEING A LAWYER FOR THE
ESTRANGED SISTER OF STANLEY HO IS INHERENTLY ALSO A DANGEROUS
OCCUPATION. IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY FOR SURE, BUT THIS ATTACK
MAY TURN OUT TO HAVE MORE TO DO WITH MONEY AND LEGAL DISPUTES
THAN WITH POLITICS. END COMMENT.

LAWMAKER TARGETED FOR ATTACK
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3. (SBU) THE FOUR ASSAILANTS ATTACKED DEMOCRATIC PARTY (DP)
VICE CHAIRMAN ALBERT HO AUGUST 20
WITH BASEBALL BATS AND POLICE-STYLE BATONS AFTER HE AND OTHER
DP MEMBERS LED A GROUP OF 200 PROTESTERS IN A PEACEFUL MARCH
AGAINST A PROPOSED GOODS AND SERVICES TAX. ACCORDING TO DP
COLLEAGUE HOWARD LAM, THE ATTACKERS ENTERED THE CROWDED
MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT WHERE HO WAS DINING, SHOVED HIM TO THE
GROUND AND BEAT HIM FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE FLEEING. LAM
WAS ALSO HIT IN THE HEAD AND CHEST WHEN HE TRIED TO PROTECT
HO. HO SUFFERED HEAD, ARM, AND FACIAL INJURIES, INCLUDING A
BROKEN NOSE, AND IS CURRENTLY LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION BY
THE HOSPITAL.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICIANS DENOUNCE ASSAULT
--------------


4. (SBU) AFTER VISITING HO IN THE HOSPITAL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE
(CE) DONALD TSANG TOLD REPORTERS THAT HE WAS VERY ANGRY ABOUT
THE ATTACK. "WE WILL ARREST THEM AND BRING THEM TO
JUSTICE...I DON'T CARE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE." SECRETARY FOR
SECURITY AMBROSE LEE ADDED THAT HONG KONG WAS "A FREE SOCIETY
THAT ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO LAW AND WE WILL NOT
TOLERATE SUCH A VIOLENT ACT."


5. (SBU) LAWMAKERS FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM
DENOUNCED THE VIOLENCE. DP CHAIRMAN LEE WING-TAT DESCRIBED
THE ASSAULT AS "ORGANIZED AND PREMEDITATED," THOUGH HE
SPECULATED THAT IT WAS NOT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. FRONTIER
LEGISLATOR EMILY LAU SAID, "HONG KONG PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING
A SAFE CITY. BUT THE VIOLENT ATTACK AGAINST MR. HO IS
OUTRAGEOUS." LAU KONG-WAH, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC
ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTERMENT AND PROGRESS OF HONG KONG (DAB)
COMPLAINED THAT POLICE HAD DOWNPLAYED LAWMAKERS' PREVIOUS
REPORTS OF VANDALISM OR INTIMIDATION. "ITS NOT UNUSUAL FOR
LEGISLATORS TO RECEIVE THREATS." LAU SUGGESTED THAT "POLICE
SHOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO LAWMAKERS ENGAGING IN
PUBLIC SERVICE." CIVIC PARTY MEMBER RONNIE TONG SAID, "THIS
IS A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO THE RULE OF LAW." HE ADDED THAT HIS
PARTY HAD ALSO RECEIVED THREATENING LETTERS, LIKELY REFERRING
TO THE DEATH THREAT AND CUTTER BLADE CP LEADER AUDREY EU
RECIEVED TWO WEEKS AGO.

RECENT THREATS AND ATTACKS AGAINST HO
--------------


6. (SBU) THE ATTACKERS' MOTIVATION WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR,
BUT HO TOLD REPORTERS THAT IT MIGHT BE RELATED TO HIS ROLE AS
A LEGISLATOR OR A LAWYER. HO HAS BEEN THREATENED AND
ATTACKED BEFORE: IN MAY, INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS WARNED HO ABOUT
HIS CRITICISM OF A POLICY WHICH GRANTS SMALL HOUSE ALLOTMENTS
TO INDIGENOUS MALE VILLAGERS. "IF YOU MESS WITH US, WE WILL


DEFINITELY MESS WITH YOU," THEY SAID IN A LETTER TO HO. IN A
SEPARATE INCIDENT, AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN WALKED INTO HO'S
OFFICE ON JUNE 27, STRUCK HIM ONCE ON THE SHOULDER AND THEN
LEFT. HO, WHO WAS NOT BADLY INJURED, TOLD THE "ORIENTAL
DAILY" THAT HE WOULD NOT REPORT THE CASE AND DID NOT BELIEVE
THAT THE INCIDENT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.


7. (SBU) THE MEDIA HAS SPECULATED THAT THE ASSAULT MAY BE
RELATED TO HO'S WORK AS AN ATTORNEY FOR WINNIE HO. WINNIE
HO, THE YOUNGER SISTER OF CASINO TYCOON STANLEY HO, HAS FILED
A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TYCOONS LISTING OF THE SOCIEDADE DE
JOGOS DE MACAU; SHE HAS ALSO RUN FULL-PAGE ADS IN THE LOCAL
CHINESE NEWSPAPERS ACCUSING HER BROTHER OF MONEY LAUNDERING
ACTIVITIES. THE "ORIENTAL DAILY" NOTED THAT ONE OF WINNIE
HO'S LAWYERS WAS PREVIOUSLY ATTACKED IN HONG KONG IN
SEPTEMBER 2002 AND AGAIN IN JANUARY 2003; AUTHORITIES HAVE
MADE NO ARRESTS IN THESE CASES. WINNIE HO ISSUED A STATEMENT
CONDEMNING THE ATTACK ON ALBERT HO.

BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR ALBERT HO
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8. (SBU) ALBERT HO, 53, HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL REPRESENTING THE NEW TERRITORIES WEST CONSTITUENCY
SINCE 1995 AND IS ALSO AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE TUEN MUN
DISTRICT COUNCIL. HO HELPED FOUND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND
THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE IN SUPPORT OF THE PATRIOTIC AND
DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT IN CHINA, AN ORGANIZATION BRANDED
"SUBVERSIVE" BY BEIJING. HE IS ALSO A PROMINENT LEADER OF
THE HONG KONG-BASED ACTION COMMITTEE FOR DEFENDING THE DIAOYU
ISLANDS, WHICH RECENTLY POSTPONED A SCHEDULED EXPEDITION TO
DIAOYU ISLAND. MORE RECENTLY, HO STAGED A 24-HOUR HUNGER
STRIKE IN SUPPORT OF MAINLAND LAWYER GAO ZHISHENG ON JUNE 24.
CUNNINGHAM