'Govt Robbing Public Of Land To Benefit The PLA'

A concern group has accused the government of breaking its promise over public access to the harbourfront in Central by rezoning part of it from open space to military use.

The plan was gazetted earlier this month. But campaigners are urging officials not to transfer jurisdiction of the dock over to the People's Liberation Army.

At a protest on Sunday, Paul Zimmerman, from the Central Habourfront Concern Group, said the government is taking the 0.3 hectares of land away from the Hong Kong people.

"This area was always designated as public space. This was promised for many, many years, in every document, in everything the government stated, this was going to be public open space, only closed when a vessel is in town," Zimmerman said.

But he said the new plan will put the area permanently under the control of the military.

"I think this is a real disfavour to the public of Hong Kong. It's their land and it should not be handed to the PLA. I think the whole thing is warped and wrong."

Zimmerman told RTHK's Iris Yeung that if the plan can't be dropped, at the very least the area should be very clearly marked out so that people know when they are on Hong Kong soil and when they are on PLA soil.

He said it should also be made very clear what people's rights are if they go into the area, for example, if they could be detained by the military for any alleged wrongdoing.