HONG KONG DEMOCRATS DENIED ENTRY TO MACAU FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 000011

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM; ALSO FOR DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM HK MC
SUBJECT: HONG KONG DEMOCRATS DENIED ENTRY TO MACAU FOR
ARTICLE 23 RALLY

REF: (A) HONG KONG 2258 (B) HONG KONG 2229

Classified By: Acting Consul General Christopher J. Marut for Reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Over twenty Hong Kong activists, including
nine legislators, traveling to Macau to participate in a
rally opposing Macau's Article 23 legislation were denied
entry December 20, Macau Special Administrative Region
Establishment Day. A Macau government press release
indicated the group was denied under Macau's Internal
Security Law, although legislators told us Macau Immigration
officials neither asked them officially to state their
purpose of travel nor indicated under what section of the law
they were being denied entry. Macau democrats protested the
action, but told us no local media would print their
statement. The Hong Kong government limited itself to noting
Macau's right to determine its own immigration policies. A
vocal sector of the Macau community applauded the decision,
opposing interference in Macau affairs by Hong Kong
activists. End summary.


2. (C) Comment: Despite having the votes to pass whatever law
it wishes, the Macau Government to date has "played fair" in
the Article 23 debate, even admitting firebrand legislator
Leung "Long Hair" Kwok-hung to Macau previously to attend an
earlier protest (ref B). That it chose to refuse entry to
the Hong Kong group this time probably has to do with the
large size of the group (the previous visit was by only three
Hong Kong legislators) and the coincidence with Establishment
Day events. The result was probably more media coverage than
would have occurred had the legislators been allowed into
Macau. Had they been admitted, the Macau government has the
influence to ensure any local media coverage was relegated to
the back pages (or even dropped),and international media
might not have picked up the story at all. For the democrats
in both regions, this action was a step beyond the parameters
we understood they had set for themselves. The Macau
democrats remain mindful that public sentiment backs the
government, and that being seen as close to "unpatriotic
trouble-makers" like "Long Hair" can cost them at the ballot
box. The Hong Kong democrats had led us to believe they were
in solidarity with their Macau counterparts, but were also
taking a back seat on this issue. Such a large delegation,
including senior pan-democratic party leaders, traveling to
participate in a protest suggests a calculation that the
stakes have risen sufficiently to warrant more risk. End
comment.


3. (C) In a clearly pre-meditated decision, Macau immigration
officials denied entry to a group of Hong Kong activists
traveling to attend a December 20 rally organized by Macau
activists including the pro-democracy New Macau Association
(NMA). The Macau government reported 24 people denied entry,
including eight members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council
(LegCo). Media reported some of the travelers from Hong
Kong, including some legislative aides, were able to enter.
Citing Macau's Internal Security Law, the Public Security
Police Force (which controls immigration) stated their
obligation "to reject the entry of ineligible non-residents
in order to maintain public security and public order."
LegCo members Cyd Ho and Emily Lau both told us Macau
officials refused to cite a specific section of the law. Ho
said they were never formally asked the purpose of their
travel. All those denied entry refused to sign statements
presented by Macau authorities acknowledging they were
denied. Lau told us the standoff lasted about an hour, after
which they were sent back to Hong Kong.


4. (C) LegCo members included Democratic Party (DPHK) Chair
Albert Ho and Vice Chair Emily Lau, plus DPHK legislators Lee
Wing-tat and Kam Nai-wai; Confederation of Trade Unions
General Secretary Lee Cheuk-yan; League of Social Democrats
legislator Leung "Long Hair" Kwok-hung; Civic Act-up
legislator (and pan-democratic "box lunch" caucus convener)
Cyd Ho; and Civic Party (CP) Vice Chair (and former Chief
Executive candidate) Alan Leong. A ninth legislator not
counted in the Macau government press release, CP Leader
Audrey Eu, took a later ferry than the main group and was
also refused entry.


5. (C) The Macau Government issued a statement "giving full
backing to the police action," although it is extremely
unlikely that immigration authorities took the decision
themselves. From the Hong Kong side, Secretary for Security
Ambrose Lee and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland
Affairs Stephen Lam both made comments to the media upholding
Macau's right to manage its own immigration affairs. Lee was
also quoted in Macau media as saying none of the legislators
had requested assistance from the Hong Kong Security Bureau,

HONG KONG 00000011 002 OF 002


which would be the Macau Public Security Police Force's most
direct counterpart. Hong Kong media also quoted Hong Kong
Central Government Liaison Office (CGLO) Deputy Director Li
Gang as respecting Macau's decision, as well as his opinion
that Hong Kong's main concerns were the economy and improving
people's livelihoods.


6. (SBU) To date, while individual legislators and parties
have made statements, LegCo as an institution has not made
public comment. Hong Kong media covered the issue, but
neither pro-democracy Apple Daily nor centrist Ming Pao leant
editorial support to the legislators. East Week, a magazine
published by the generally pro-government Sing Tao Group,
dismissed the democrats' actions as a "show" for their
"little brothers" in Macau, and suggested Alan Leong was
looking for publicity in advance of another run for Chief
Executive in 2012.


7. (C) Macau media reported on the decision, including the
Hong Kong government and CGLO comments and quotes from the
NMA, but did not editorialize pro or con. NMA legislator Au
Kam-sam told us by e-mail that the NMA had released a
statement condemning the government, but that no local media
would pick it up. On the other side, directly-elected Macau
legislators Chan Meng-kam and Ung Choi-kun, from the
pro-government United Citizen's Association, were quoted in
the Macau press as opposing outside interference in Macau
legal matters. Ten local demonstrators also reportedly
picketed at the Macau-Hong Kong ferry terminal to protest
Hong Kong people's involvement in an internal Macau matter.
Macau Inter-University Institute Lecturer Eric Sautede
(protect) told us even some better-educated and -traveled
Macanese support the government's decision, noting one of his
local friends argued that the Hong Kong visitors intended to
"embarrass" Macau.
MARUT