Canadians banned entry to Hong Kong for torch relay

One of the two Canadian protestors deported from China discusses what happened after she landed in Hong Kong to demonstrate against China's Tibet policy.

Canada AM: Steve Chao from Beijing, China

Authorities in China have increased security ahead of the arrival of the Olympic torch relay.

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Apr. 30 2008 11:44 AM ET

At least seven activists, including two Canadians, have been banned entry to Hong Kong prior to the Olympic flame's return to Chinese soil after a turbulent 20-nation tour.

Two members of Students for a Free Tibet, who were planning to hold a news conference to coincide with the city's May 2 torch relay, were barred from entering Hong Kong upon their arrival.

In a news release, the group identified the two Canadians as Tsering Lama, 24, from Toronto, and Kate Woznow, 27, formerly of Vancouver.

Woznow, the campaign director for the group, told CTV's Canada AM she was pulled aside at customs and told she wasn't going to be allowed in.

"When I pressed them further and said is it because I'm here to speak with media, they said they weren't going to give me any details for the reason of my deportation and I was sent on a plane back to New York," Woznow said.

She said she had hoped China would live up to its promise to provide greater transparency ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

"I'm disappointed, for sure," Woznow said. "I mean we've been hearing the Chinese government promise media freedom, that there would be an openness around these Olympic Games and in fact we're seeing the opposite."

She said Hong Kong has typically been more tolerant of individuals speaking out against China's human rights record, but that appears to no longer be the case.

Speaking to Canada AM, CTV's Beijing Bureau Chief Steve Chao said that human rights groups in Hong Kong are saying that "democratic freedoms . . . are being suppressed by the local government."

"To deport them for just wanting to express themselves is a big question mark as to exactly what kind of freedoms can be enjoyed in Hong Kong," Chao added.

"And that is very much a concern to many residents in Hong Kong . . . where many people have fought long and hard to keep the freedom they have enjoyed for several years."

Three Danish activists were deported over the weekend and another activist -- an organizer for an independent Chinese writers' group that calls for freedom of expression in China -- also was turned away on Tuesday.

Hong Kong, the former British colony that was returned to China 11 years ago, is supposed to enjoy Western-style civil liberties, including freedom of expression, that are denied on the Chinese mainland.

Hong Kong grants many entry visas to Westerners, raising fears of demonstrations during Friday's Olympic torch relay.

There are plans to have 3,000 police officers guard the torch during the run.

Pro-Tibetan protesters have disrupted the Olympic torch relay in a number of other countries, including France, the U.K. and the United States.

Actress Mia Farrow is expected to arrive in Hong Kong Thursday to raise awareness about the violence in Sudan's Darfur regions. Activists want China to use its influence to press Sudan into allowing UN peacekeepers into the country.

China is a major trading partner with Sudan.

With files from The Associated Press

Comments are now closed for this story

John Lee
said

Good on you Hong Kong! Let's hope we can learn from their example. If only Canada would adopt similar polices. Just think of all the tax dollars we would save.

We have enough problems in Canada with crime. Keeping these sorts of people away would let us deal with the real problems.

Thank you Hong Kong for setting a good example for the world.

albert
said

There seems to be a real disdain for social demonstration. People don't want to be reminded of what is wrong in the world. They just want to go on with their lives and pretend it will be okay. Hats off to those care enough to try and make a difference.

Angela
said

If athletes voice political opinions contrary to those of the Chinese government prior to the Olympics will they too be denied visas? If athletes voice political opinions or wave the wrong flag during the Olympics will they be stripped of their medals? I thought the idea of the Olympics is to award medals to the best in any given sport. There seem to be a lot of rules attached to winning anything. Wear the wrong hat or shirt and you are no longer the fastest in the world? Weird.

Brian in Barrie
said

Dear Dean......
We live in a country that allows such freedoms as freedom of speech, ability to protest peacefully and to practice whatever religion we wish. For you to say we need a government that has not "enough intestinal fortitude to do the same in our country" is allowed. If you wrote this comment in China you would now be in jail. The only, and I mean only, reason the olympics are in China is a political reason. The olympic committee picked China over Toronto in hopes that it would open them up. It has not done so and I feel that by not attending them will make the people in charge of selection look at their decision and pick sites that make sense. The smog and other health risks in Bejing are not resolved and they have had over 7 years to fix the problem. So your two comments are wrong, and because I live in this wonderful country I am allowed to say that because it is my opinion and I have the right to try to convince others about your ignorance.
Oh yeh and .....FREE TIBET!!!!

HK guy
said

Hong Kong didn�t have �Western-style civil liberties� most of the time under the British rules. The British only had introduced the election process for the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Government few years before its handover to China.

Joanne
said

Any country, either Canada or China, has its own legitimate systems. Let's respect them if the goverment hasn't jeperdized majority's interest.

Just like that any one is generally not allowed to intervene any other family's domestic living principles or styles.

I understand everything is very difficult and different from here only because of huge population there. The rules or standards of western cultures don't work at all THERE. I believe there must be legitimate reasons for any action Chinese goverment has taken.

Mind our own business. Don't waste time on unnecessary things to us.

BOBT
said

They should be sent home. These people are mostly "professional" protestors who go anywhere to disturb someone about some cause. They don't care what, they just love to protest.

Think of this.....
said

It is very clear that Canada is not going to boycott the games, so as Canadians, we should do the next best thing and not watch the games on TV. The ratings will go down and give a clear answer to the government. You may not boycott the games, but the Canadian people still don't support it.

Ki-Som
said

Just goes to show you how out of touch China real is. They want to be a model country, for the rest of the world to look to, yet they are so in the dark ages. I don't see anything changing for at least three generations, or when China emplodes on itself. Which is a real shame, the Chinese people have so much to offer, yet their backward government stops them at every turn.

Aaron in Toronto
said

Any country has their own right to determine who is welcome and who is not welcome to their land. Just because you have a Canadian passport does not mean you have a GOD given RIGHTS to go places as you please. Don't we get sick and tired of the activists? Peaceful? I don't think so. Most people may not understand that this Olympic games means a lot to the Chinese people. It's their pride to show the world that China has really improve and it is no longer the US that is the superpower. Suppression to the people? Well look at our own country first. Our so called freedom has been twisted so much that regular citizen has less rights than convicted criminals. You get arrested for serious crime and you are out of the door within 24 hrs and victimize another person. Nuff' said.

Silver Lining
said

At least they got booted out and didn't wind up in jail to add to the seemingly growing number of stranded Canadians abroad.

Colonel Blimp
said

Are any of us surprised by this action? Amazing how no one seems to mention that this whole torch carrying �tradition� was developed for the 1936 Olympics as a propaganda tool. Remember�. the one run by the Nazis. Sound familiar? Of course we wouldn�t want to let politics get in the way of sport, it�s really all about the athletes and legitimizing one of the worlds most brutal regimes. Let us all wait in hope that the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa organizes another pro-China rally. I don�t quite understand how sport is supposed to trump human rights and human dignity.

Robin da Hood
said

So will the Chinese deport any Olympic competitors - the ones with any moral conviction I mean - if they express their disgust of the repression of Tibetans???.. I dare them to deport any legit competitor, or reporter, who comments on the issue.. hope it further ruins the 2008 Olympics! Its deplorable that the games are being held there. I hope the athletes who decide to go and brave the pollution do show such conviction and put China on the spot.

Shamaro
said

James, this isn't a case of China abusing human rights, just because they expelled a couple of Canadians who were there to protest. China is a sovereign nation, just like Canada and they reserve the right as a sovereign nation to deem who can come as a foreigner into their nation. These activists who are there to protest are not welcome by the Chinese government, so they excercised their right as a soverign nation and had them deported. There's nothing wrong with that! Sure
China has a terrible reputation on it's human rights record, but you can't accuse them for deporting people who they don't want in their country in the first place. To tell you the truth, I would prefer that they have kept them there in China, Canada has enough of these so called professional protesters who love living off of the Canadian welfare system!

M
said

I'd hate to say it, but these activists slowly remind me more and more of the extreme of PETA and Greenpeace. I love animals and the environment, but there's time, place, and proper manner for which to represent these rights and beliefs.

Mo
said

Wrong. It's not about human rights. There's this international "crisis" that's shown itself over an incident in Tibet which was handled much better than these protesters allege. Emphasis on the fact that it was a VIOLENT protest. Now select activists are trying to draw negative attention to China because some Tibetans protested violently? Can you blame China for trying to save their image that was so harshly attacked by activists around the world, the majority not even knowing where Tibet is, let alone how much better things have improved there over the past couple of decades? Many people not just in China, but around the world are tired of these protesters politicizing the Olympics, and we all just want the Spirit of the Games of old to return. It's ridiculous how quiet activists have been prior to the torch run. If you really cared, this widespread activism should have been done long ago instead of conveniently sabotaging what the Olympics bring.

Ken
said

Protesters can serve their purpose at times but many times it goes way too far as it often has during the torch relay. Why protest the torch relay? It's absurd.

And people, check your facts. There was aprotest not long ago in Shanghai to protest the building of the maglev train going through their neighbourhoods. It was 'allowed', nobody was shot or tortured to death. The government is allowing more freedoms to their people but the west doesn't want to acknowledge that, but why?

Steven
said

Obviously these are professional demonstrators. Human rights? They don't really care. They want their fame, their fun and their goals being carried out, no matter how violent their actions are.

D Ottawa
said

Activists or social terrorists should not be given free reign over a peaceful unifying event such as the Olympics. It's a time when countries can come together and work things out starting at a grass roots level. I'm glad someone is putting their foot down and saying "enough is enough".

James
said

Another example of how the Chinese government is abusing human rights. The right to assemble and protest is an extremely important right, a right identified by the U.N. For the Chinese government to pick and choose which human right they will acknowledge and which they will ignore proves that they do not respect any human rights at all. When it serves their aims, they would allow assembly and protest. That is not fair to the average human being. These protestors should be commended for their efforts to show how corrupt the Chinese government is. Boycott China! Boycott the Olympics! Free Tibet! Down with Tyrants wherever they exists!!

Dean
said

Good for that country!. It's too bad that our gutless, waffling group of politicians and judges aren't able to muster enough intestinal fortitude to do the same in our country. I'm sure the majority of people are fed up with protesters in general and want something done to curb their actions. Mixing politics and the olympics is just not fostering the spirit they were meant for.

Gerald Skowronski
said

A tempest in a tea pot. The protesters were sent home. End of story. Here in Canada they can protest and possibly get a grant from the government for expanding multi-culturalism.

Jane
said

It�s a wake up call for people of Hong Kong and Macau; they supposed to enjoy Western-style civil liberties, including freedom of expression. Mainland China is showing the true colour and you just can�t trust the Chinese Government. By the way what happened to the protester in 1989 stood in front of the tank????

jane.
said

Just as the Canada government has right to have the no-fly list, China government also has right reject anyone that are not welcome by their people. the most stupid thing of this activists is that they assume that the chinese people will stand by them to rebel the government. But as I know most of chinese, even them complained sometimes about the political system, but regarding Tibet and Torch, they are work one soul and one body. and they are very clear the effor the government do to develop their country and they all aware of the improvement that have been made during last 30 years. So as a Chinese-Canadian who have many friends in china and many friends in Canada. I can tell you, the people`s reactions to torch demonstrator are not be cheated or controlled by Chinese government. They just follow their heart. For those activists, take care of your own business. NO CHINESE WELCOME YOU!!!

B. Lang
said

Good. Nothing wrong with forbidding troublemakers from enterring ones country. They are more than in there right to do so.

Shamaro
said

Why send the activists home. They should of kept them there in Hong Kong and let them go through China. I don't want anymore activists here, can't we export them out with our oil to China?

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