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As the daring escape from house arrest of Chinese rights activistChen Guangcheng makes world headlines, locals in his villageexpressed disbelief that "the blind man" could flee the intensesecurity surrounding him. Farmers and entrepreneurs in the farming community of Dongshigu ineast China's Shandong province were surprised when told Chen mayhave fled into the US embassy in Beijing, spurring a diplomaticcrisis with Washington. "I have not heard anything about the blind man escaping, there isno way he could escape," a local farmer who regularly passes by thevillage told AFP. "They (the authorities) built a concrete wall around his home. Theyhave surveillance cameras all around the house. It is impossiblefor him to escape." The farmer, who AFP is not identifying out of safety concerns, saiddozens of security guards surrounded Chen's home night and day,threatening and beating any outsiders who attempted to approach. China Aid, a group run by former Tiananmen Square democracyactivist Bob Fu, said Saturday it had learned from a "source closeto the Chen Guangcheng situation" that the activist was now "underUS protection". "High-level talks are currently under way between US and Chineseofficials regarding Chen's status," the group said in a statement,which also called on the United States to ensure the safety of theactivist and his family. The United States has expressed concern about Chen, who has beenblind since childhood, but refused any comment on his whereabouts,underscoring the huge sensitivity of the issue. Outspoken government critic Hu Jia, who is close to Chen, also toldAFP the activist is likely holed up in the US embassy. A decision to grant him refuge could prove a major diplomaticirritant, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and TreasurySecretary Timothy Geithner due in Beijing Thursday for annual talkson the often testy relationship between the two countries. Chen, 40, won worldwide acclaim for exposing forced sterilisationsand late-term abortions under China's "one child" policy, and forusing his legal knowledge to help people battle a range of otherperceived injustices. He and his family were put under round-the-clock house arrest afterhe completed a four-year jail sentence in September 2010. He hassaid he was being punished for defiantly continuing to speak out. "They have a lot of local police, traffic police and villagesecurity guards watching him. Over 60 people watching one blind manday and night. There is no way he can escape," a shop owner nearDongshigu village told AFP. "I've heard it cost over 10,000 yuan ($1,600) to guard him for onenight, they also have to guard him during the day. To think thatthis has been going on for over two years. There are a lot ofbetter ways to spend that money." China Aid said Chen slipped away from his closely guarded home onthe night of April 22. His wife and 6-year-old daughter arebelieved to be still in the home. After his daring escape, Chen recorded a video directly addressingPremier Wen Jiabao, accusing local Communist Party officials byname and condemning the government for their treatment of him andhis family. "They are doing this (persecution) because the blind man is arights defender. He is in trouble for defending human rights," themanager of a small hotel in a village near Dongshigu told AFP. Most ordinary people here supported Chen's efforts to curb abuse ofthe birth control policy and were appalled at the government'streatment of him, she said. Meanwhile many believe Chen's efforts have had an impact onimplementation of the controversial family planning policy. "In the last few years, the policy has not been so strict," thewoman, who is in her forties, said. "They don't dare beat you anymore if you violate the policy. Theystill fine you, but they don't beat you like before." Chen's flight came two months after Wang Lijun, former right-handman of disgraced Chinese leader Bo Xilai, went to the US consulatein the southwestern city of Chengdu and reportedly sought USasylum. He was turned down, but the incident was highly embarrassing forBeijing and provoked a major political crisis, with just months togo before a key handover of power in China. The last Chinese dissident known to have been granted refuge at theUS embassy was Fang Lizhi, a key figure in the pro-democracymovement who spent a year under US protection after publiclysupporting the 1989 Tiananmen protests. He was forced into exile in 1990 and died in the United Statesearlier this month. Fugitive Chinese activist 'under US protection' Beijing (AFP) April 28, 2012 - A leading Chinese activist whoescaped from house arrest last weekend is now under US "protection"and Washington and Beijing are in talks over his status, anoverseas rights group said Saturday. Chen Guangcheng, who has been blind since childhood, fled lastSunday with the help of his supporters from under the noses ofdozens of guards, and subsequently recorded a video alleging abusesagainst him and his family. China Aid, a group run by the former Tiananmen Square democracyactivist Bob Fu, said it had learned from a "source close to theChen Guangcheng situation" that the activist was now "under USprotection". "High-level talks are currently under way between US and Chineseofficials regarding Chen's status," said the statement, which alsocalled on the United States to ensure the safety of the activistand his family. The United States has expressed concern about Chen, but refused anycomment on his whereabouts, underscoring the huge sensitivity ofthe issue. Fu fled China for the United States in 1996, but has been in closecontact with Chen and his supporters. On Friday, he said the activist was in a "100 percent safe"location in Beijing, while the outspoken government critic Hu Jia,who is close to Chen, told AFP the activist is likely holed up inthe US embassy. A decision to grant him refuge could prove a major diplomaticirritant, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and TreasurySecretary Timothy Geithner due in Beijing next week for annualtalks on their often testy relationship. Chen, 40, won worldwide acclaim for exposing forced sterilisationsand late-term abortions under China's "one child" policy, and forusing his legal knowledge to help people battle a range of otherperceived injustices. He and his family were put under round-the-clock house arrest afterhe completed a four-year jail sentence in September 2010. He hassaid he was being punished for defiantly continuing to speak out. China's state-controlled media has made no mention of Chen'sescape, while Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai refused to respondto questions about Chen's whereabouts at a media briefing on theupcoming US-China talks on Saturday. "It is a very hot potato for both sides, if true. It is very, verysensitive politically," said Zhu Feng, an expert on China's foreignrelations at Peking University. "We don't know for sure if he is there, but it has been veryinteresting that embassy officials have given no clarity on whetherhe is there or not." Chen's flight came two months after Wang Lijun, former right-handman of disgraced Chinese leader Bo Xilai, went to the US consulatein the southwestern city of Chengdu and reportedly sought USasylum. He was turned down, but the incident was highly embarrassing forBeijing and provoked a major political crisis, with just months togo before a key handover of power in China. The last Chinese dissident known to have been granted refuge at theUS embassy was Fang Lizhi, a key figure in the pro-democracymovement who spent a year under US protection after publiclysupporting the 1989 Tiananmen protests. He was forced into exile in 1990 and died in the United Statesearlier this month. Fu told AFP Chen had expressed reluctance to leave the country. "He said he wants to fight to the end inside China for hiscitizen's rights. He wants to lead a normal life as a Chinesecitizen," he said. Chen's hometown of Dongshigu became notorious as a no-go zone forforeign media and other visitors, who were typically chased awayand often assaulted by local guards apparently employed byofficials. Local people interviewed by AFP on Saturday expressed disbeliefthat Chen had managed to escape despite the heavy securitypresence. "Everyone around here knows about the blind guy. They (authorities)have a lot of local police, traffic police and village securityguards watching him," said one resident, who AFP is not naming forhis safety. "Over 60 people watching one blind man day and night. There is noway he can escape." Fu said Chen's escape came to light in the early hours of Fridaymorning, when government officials went to Dongshigu to search hishouse and that of his elder brother Chen Guangfu. Human rights groups say Chen Guangfu and his son Chen Kegui havebeen taken into police custody after a violent confrontation earlyFriday. He Peirong, one of Chen's supporters who helped transport him to asafe location, was arrested at her home in the eastern city ofNanjing on Friday, Fu said. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Warning Strobe Light , PIR Motion Detector for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Burglar Alarm Control Panel.
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