300 'troublemakers' on official blacklist

As many as 300 militant protesters due to fly in for this month's WTO ministerial meeting have been put on an official blacklist and will be denied entry into Hong Kong, security sources have revealed.

It is also understood that if they become obstructive at the airport, authorities will hold them in Victoria Prison, which is being set up as a detention centre.

The blacklist has never been officially acknowledged, but the sources say it contains the names of "key troublemakers", including many South Koreans.

It was worked out with the assistance of Interpol, the Immigration Department and security consultants, the Sunday Morning Post has been told.

It is also understood that pictures were taken of protesters at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum in Pusan, South Korea, last month and have been passed to the Hong Kong police.

Authorities intend to send the blacklisted activists home as soon as they land, said the sources. But if flights are unavailable or if there are other reasons preventing immediate deportation, they will be detained in Victoria Prison.

Inmates had already been cleared from the prison to make way for the protesters, they said. The government has said the prison could hold up to 700 protesters if trouble flares during the ministerial meeting, to be held from December 13 to 18 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

The government has consistently denied the existence of a blacklist and yesterday the Security Bureau refused to comment. Security chief Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong remained vague when asked about the subject on a radio programme.

"I would not say we have a list of people whom we would definitely refuse their entry." he said. "But of course, if, say, our intelligence from the US police tells us that this person had committed arson in Seattle, we will pay attention to this type of person."

Peter Yam Tat-wing, police director of operations, said the force was prepared for the worst. He added it would consider denying entry to visitors with a "trouble-making record".

Protesters' representatives yesterday accused the government of being evasive and discriminatory.

Rex Varona, executive director of the Asia Migrants Centre, said police had alerted at least two hotels that their rooms had been reserved by people connected with Southeast Asian activist groups.

One of the hotels had already told about 20 protesters it had cancelled their booking, he said. They were trying to persuade the other to keep their rooms.

Mr Varona said the police had checked the protesters' names and passport numbers with hotel staff. "This is discrimination. It is equivalent to harassment. They are a bunch of people who want to protest peacefully. When the government decided to hold the conference, they should have prepared to welcome different voices," he said.

He feared the situation would worsen, as the protesters already faced mounting difficulties in hiring vehicles and sound systems after the police had alerted companies of their identities.

Mabel Au Mei-po, of protest co-ordinator the Hong Kong People's Alliance on the WTO said: "I am very concerned. The officials have for months refused to tell us how they define high-risk militants and what measures they would adopt for this group of visitors."