An assembly outside the court, followed by a candle lit vigil was held on 29 January 2004 to mark the 5th Anniversary of the Court of Final Appeal ruling. A spokesman for a group that supports abode seekers' struggle to stay in Hong Kong, said that they wanted to re-iterate, that the abode-seekers are entitled to live in Hong Kong under the 1999 Ruling. The Hong Kong government has subsequently requested the Central Government to re-interpret the Basic Law in this case, and it ruled against the right-of-abode seekers. Since then, many homes have been broken because many children were denied abode.

Hotline issued UA990604(8) in June 1999 to request Hong Kong authorities to uphold the rule of law and not to deny a previously recognized right of abode. A related issue is also found in Hotline Urgent Appeal, UA020124(2) Respect Family Reunion as a Basic Human Right.

Source: South China Morning Post