HONG KONG, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Religious and rights groups in Hong Kong spoke on Saturday of their fears for the fate of civil liberties in the territory as pro-Beijing forces stepped up a publicity blitz against the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
"The concern to us is how the Hong Kong government seems to draw parameters for (religious groups) to operate within," Rose Wu of the Hong Kong Christian Institute told a news conference.
Questions about Hong Kong's freedoms and how much say it has in its own affairs have taken centre stage in recent weeks since Beijing lashed out at the Falun Gong group in Hong Kong, saying it will not allow it to make the territory an anti-China base.
Banned and vilified on mainland China, the Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong, which was granted a high degree of autonomy after returning to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula worked out with Britain.
But Beijing's irritation with the Hong Kong group came to the boil in January when it hosted a two-day conference in the territory to criticise the crackdown by Beijing on the mainland.
In a move seen as toeing Beijing's line, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa called the group an "evil cult" on Thursday, using the very same words China uses to describe the movement, which promotes a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism, meditation and traditional Chinese breathing exercises.
Tung said he would closely monitor the group and would not allow it to disturb the peace in Hong Kong or mainland China.
But Wu asked: "Does that mean they can only exercise but not criticise the Hong Kong or Chinese governments?
"A lot of Christian organisations are already doing that (criticising the government). Our religious freedom is not so narrow. If it (the government) wants us to know what our limits are, that will be similar to a 'kowtow' culture," Wu said.
PRO-BEIJING FORCES STEP UP ATTACK
Pro-Beijing forces in Hong Kong, quick to echo Beijing's views, stepped up their verbal attacks on the group on Saturday.
"Recognise the evil cult, and protect the tranquillity of our home," the pro-China Wen Hui Pao newspaper said in its headlines.
Inside, a full page was dedicated to articles by local pro-China figures vilifying the movement.
"Everyone should get rid of the evil cult and its diabolical theories," wrote Zhao Hong-wei, a local delegate to China's National People's Congress (NPC), or parliament.
The blitz follows a seminar attended by pro-China figures on Friday, when the local Falun Gong group was warned against continuing its high profile activities and told to dissociate itself from the mainland Chinese group.
TEST OF HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY
Pro-democracy legislator Emily Lau, who was part of the panel at the news conference, said the row over the Falun Gong presented a key test for "one country, two systems."
"The Falun Gong has been banned on the mainland and the test is now whether it can be allowed to operate here."
The Falun Gong had been made a public enemy because Beijing felt threatened by it, Lau said.
"If locally, I can get so many people to support me and they are so determined...I think I will be perceived as a big big threat too," she said.