Chen Yong Lin today asked for political asylum in Australia during a rally marking
the Tiananmen Square massacre.
A Chinese diplomat seeking political asylum
in Australia has come out of hiding to address a public rally in Sydney, despite
saying he fears for his life.
And Chen Youg Lin, 37, has promised to reveal
to Australians “everything I know” about threats by Chinese foreign
agents “to the Australian society and its people”.
Mr Chen said
he walked out of the Chinese consulate-general in Sydney four days ago, saying
he could no longer support his country’s refusal to embrace democratic reform
and its persecution of religious group Falun Gong.
Mr Chen, the former consul
for political affairs with the Chinese consulate in Sydney, says he is in hiding
with his wife Jin Ping, 38, and six-year-old daughter.
Today, he emerged
to address a rally commemorating the 16th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square
Massacre.
He revealed to protesters what he said was confidential consular
information about the kidnapping of several opponents to the Chinese government.
He
said at least one was sentenced to death, and he now fears the same fate himself
unless the Australian government grants him asylum.
Although Mr Chen said
he feared Chinese agents would kidnap him, he fled from his consular posting in
a public transport – and he left today’s rally in a taxi.
Following today’s
gathering, in Sydney’s Martin Place, Mr Chen then told reporters the Chinese government
believed he was a threat before he left the consulate.
“Because I had
offered some help to some democracy activists and Falun Gong practitioners in
some way,” he said.
“They (Chinese secret agents) have been searching
for me and chased me and when I went out in Gosford I spotted them and I have
to leave immediately.”
Mr Chen said he ran, escaping on public transport.
He said it was unlikely he could continue to escape the agents because they had
been to his house and were following him.
“It will be very hard to
get rid of (them) because they have thousands of agents in Australia,” he
said.
Mr Chen said he was being protected by “supporters of democracy”.
AAP
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Chinese-diplomat-comes-out-of-hiding/2005/06/04/1117825092189.html
Posting
date: 4/Jun/2005
Original article date: 4/Jun/2005
Category: Media Report
