The Week

test against the continuation of “Stalinist practices.” Public protest has been banned (but occurs anyway). The rulers blame discontent on “foreign elements” and “bands of hooligans.” In a country that has required that typewriters be registered with the state, grassroots protest lacks even the most basic raw materials of communication. Freedom-seeking Rumanians are appealing to the West for such items as paper, copying machines, personal computers, VCRs, video cameras, and videotapes. The Students’ League of Rumania has bravely relayed its urgent request through Congressman Frank Wolf (R., Va.). A parallel situation exists in Bulgaria, where post-Communism is turning out to have startling resemblances to Communism. Stay tuned.

But nothing good is happening as regards Hong Kong, which will revert to Red China in 1997. The mainland regime has drafted a Basic Law that would limit to 18 the number of elected seats in Hong Kong’s sixty member legislature (the elected number rising to thirty by 2003) which means that the rest would be Peking puppets. What this means is that the thugocracy in Peking is determined to bring Hong Kong under its totalitarian rule, whatever the economic consequences. Peking has also issued thinly veiled warnings of reprisals against Britain if Parliament grants permanent resident rights to 225,000 immigrants. It won’t do much good to send Scowcroft and Eagleburger to straighten things out. The Bush Administration might consider opening our own doors to any Hong Kong residents who desire freedom. Does anyone doubt that such immigrants would rejuvenate the inner city?

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test against the continuation of “Stalinist practices.” Public protest has been banned (but occurs anyway). The rulers blame discontent on “foreign elements” and “bands of hooligans.” In a country that has required that typewriters be registered with the state, grassroots protest lacks even the most basic raw materials of communication. Freedom-seeking Rumanians are appealing to the West for such items as paper, copying machines, personal computers, VCRs, video cameras, and videotapes. The Students’ League of Rumania has bravely relayed its urgent request through Congressman Frank Wolf (R., Va.). A parallel situation exists in Bulgaria, where post-Communism is turning out to have startling resemblances to Communism. Stay tuned.

But nothing good is happening as regards Hong Kong, which will revert to Red China in 1997. The mainland regime has drafted a Basic Law that would limit to 18 the number of elected seats in Hong Kong’s sixty member legislature (the elected number rising to thirty by 2003) which means that the rest would be Peking puppets. What this means is that the thugocracy in Peking is determined to bring Hong Kong under its totalitarian rule, whatever the economic consequences. Peking has also issued thinly veiled warnings of reprisals against Britain if Parliament grants permanent resident rights to 225,000 immigrants. It won’t do much good to send Scowcroft and Eagleburger to straighten things out. The Bush Administration might consider opening our own doors to any Hong Kong residents who desire freedom. Does anyone doubt that such immigrants would rejuvenate the inner city?