(Transcript from The World Today - Monday, September 16, 2002 12:20 by an independent
transcription service)
JOHN HIGHFIELD: Well, the moves by the Federal Government to inhibit protests during the visit of Li
Peng are being met with concern over the implications for free speech across Australia. Canberraians
were surprised to see the unusual presence of uniformed police and protective service officers on
practically every street corner and intersection last night, all the way from Canberra airport into
the Chinese Embassy zone when Mr Li and his entourage were driving through.
At least well-known groups say they've been contacted by the Federal Police, to ensure their
protests don't contravene the laws designed to protect the dignity of visiting VIP's, but they say
while they respect the right of the Federal Government, to invoke the Diplomatic Privileges Law,
they will definitely not be deterred from getting their message across.
Tanya Nolan reports.
TANYA NOLAN: His name may not be well-known in Australia, but his legacy most certainly is.
SOUND EFFECTS, GUNFIRE.
VOICE OVER: The Beijing massacre; unarmed civilians being gunned down by the People's Liberation
Army.
TANYA NOLAN: It's little wonder that a visit by the man who sent troops into Tiananmen Square in
1989 would attract protests from groups like the Australia Tibet Council.
Executive officer, Paul Burke:
PAUL BURKE: He didn't earn the title 'Butcher of Beijing' by being a nice man, and if we want to
send a message to China about the importance of human rights, particularly in the run-up to the 2008
Olympics, then we shouldn't let people this this, you know, their past history go unremarked.
TANYA NOLAN: It may also surprise few that the Federal Government would invoke the laws it drafted
in response to the 1961 Vienna Convention, which regulate the privileges and immunities to which
diplomatic missions are entitled. But what is surprising to Senior Lecturer in Law at Sydney
University, Ross Anderson, is that the Government is invoking its rarely used 'special duty' under
the convention to protect the dignity of diplomatic missions. And Mr Anderson points to the
best-known application of that law, to curb anti-Indonesia protests in 1991.
ROSS ANDERSON: They placed a large number of white crosses on the grass verge next to the footpath
outside the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Canberra, and the Commonwealth Government,
through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, sought the removal of those crosses on the
ground. It said that Australia would otherwise be in breach of its obligation under the Vienna
Convention to protect the dignity of a diplomatic mission.
TANYA NOLAN: This time the Government is preparing to invoke the law to limit protests over Li
Peng's visit by groups like Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, but spokesman John Deller says Li
Peng has little to fear for his dignity from Falun Dafa here in Australia.
JOHN DELLER: We don't really have any planned appeal to Li Peng while he's here, although some
individual practitioners may wish to pass him a letter of concern for what's happening.
TANYA NOLAN: However, John Deller has fears for freedom of speech, which he says will inevitably be
impacted upon with the use of such powers.
JOHN DELLER: It's a restriction that we -- it doesn't really seem to fit in with the freedoms of
association, belief and expression that we enjoy in Australia. So, we would like to be able to hold
our banner, at least saying Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance at the Chinese Embassy. We feel
that's reasonable, while we do understand Australia's obligations under the Vienna Convention.
TANYA NOLAN: And the Australia Tibet Council's Paul Burke, is more critical of how such powers are
often applied.
PAUL BURKE: As long as you're protesting, we're assured that peaceful colourful, loud demonstrations
are okay. And then on the other hand, you have things like not only the confiscation of loud
hailers, but ridiculous things like the parking of buses in front of demonstrators. I understand
these people have to be protected, but they don't have to be protected from embarrassment.
We argued that our engagement with China will help bring about democracy in China, and I think part
of that, if that's to have any truth to it. These people need to be exposed to what happens in a
democracy -- that people can express their disapproval of their behaviour when they come here.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/s677449.htm
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Category: Falun Dafa in the Media
