| Submit your comments on this article |
| Down Under |
| Claim defector's documents support China spy allegations |
| 2005-06-20 |
| Chinese defector Hao Feng Jun has provided further alleged evidence about the claims of surveillance and monitoring of Australian citizens and residents by China. Mr Hao told Lateline that two weeks ago when he came into Australia on a tourist visa that he smuggled a computer file carrying hundreds of Chinese security documents that he had secretly downloaded from his police computer. ABC TV's Lateline program has had some of these documents translated and if they are accepted as authentic, the targets are members of the spiritual movement Falun Gong in Australia. Mr Hao's lawyer Bernard Collaery says that for the time being he is not giving the documents to ASIO because of his concerns that Australian officials may have visited senior Chinese officials in the Public Security Bureau. However, he is already cooperating with another Western intelligence agency. "The thought of Australian officials going in the front door and (Chinese security office) 6-10 information going out the back door leaves us with some fears about making this information available to the Australian intelligence services," Mr Collaery said. The Chinese Embassy declined to comment on the claims. A second Chinese defector, former diplomat Chen Yonglin, backs Mr Hao's claims. Mr Chen said the document given to Lateline by Mr Hao is most likely genuine. "This document sounds like a real one, except no stamp and I believe that - yes, it sounds like a real one," he said. Members of the movement in Australia believe they have been subjected to a sustained campaign of harassment by Chinese agents. Intelligence report One of the documents is an alleged intelligence report, dated October last year, apparently compiled in Beijing and circulated to senior Chinese officials. It details plans by the New South Wales Falun Gong to hold a conference in Sydney after Christmas and it names the organisers, including John Deller, an Australian Falun Gong practitioner, whom it describes as being behind "quite a few activities to disturb and damage the Chinese Government". Mr Deller confirms the broad accuracy of the intelligence report - Falun Gong did hold a conference in Sydney after Christmas - but he is horrified by the personal references. "It's a little creepy actually to think that activities here in Australia are being monitored so closely by Chinese Communist officials," Mr Deller said. "I think it's outrageous that an ordinary Australian citizen like myself is coming under such surveillance." Chinese-Australian university student Yan Yan Che is also named in the report as a key Falun Gong organiser among Chinese students on New South Wales campuses. It describes her as "an overseas Chinese student, female, 22 years old, "from Shangdong province, second year student of NSW University". "It's surprising, it's just sickening, it's scary," she said. "It pinpoints my name, where I came from, where my ancestors came from, my age, where I study. "I never know that I am actually being monitored by 610. I never felt so close to China and the Communist Party as I do now." Another document, dated January 24 this year, names a Chinese woman presently seeking refugee status in Australia. It says the woman, named Chen Hong, was sentenced to a year in a labour camp in 2000 because of her Falun Gong beliefs and was expelled from the Communist Party. She applied for a visa from the Australian commission in Shanghai in 2003. It records that she is now in Australia. '6-10 Office' Speaking on ABC TV's Lateline program, Mr Chen still says he is living in fear of being sent back to China to face imprisonment or death. While waiting for the Australian Immigration Department to process his asylum claim, Mr Chen has been given the number of a policeman to call if he is threatened in any way. Mr Chen again maintained the existence of the Chinese 6-10 security office that defecting policeman, Mr Hao, had previously told Lateline he had worked for in China. "Yes, 6-10 Office was established in 1999 on June 10," Mr Chen said. "That was established to control the Falun Gong organisation and, in my view, to persecute Falun Gong practitioners." Mr Chen says it is common knowledge among Chinese officials, diplomats and consular offices that the 6-10 Office exists. "Every diplomat working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs knows that existed, yes, 6-10," Mr Chen said. Mr Chen says China wants to crack down on Falun Gong members in Australia. "Their idea is that it is overseas missions to blame that caused the problem in China," he said. "If there is no disturbance from overseas in China, the 6-10 Office can solve every problem in China, should finish the Falun Gong issue very quickly. "Overseas - the Falun Gong practitioners put pressure to the government, the Chinese Government, and launch too many activities so that - and try to influence, mobilise their force, their influence in China." Alleged kidnappings Mr Chen stands by his previous claims that Chinese citizens have been kidnapped from Australia "I'm an honest man even in a state of fear. I'm a very honest man, a man of dignity," he said. "I get it (the claim) from a very reliable source ... just because it's not the proper time to get into all the details of it. "To my sense, I talk about this case to draw the attention of the Australian Government. I believe the Australian Government has taken some necessary steps to prevent such a case from occurring in the future - that's the result I would like to see." Mr Chen says when "it is time and necessary", he will give the evidence he has to the Australian authorities. He says that he and his family remain in danger. "I'm still worrying about my family and we haven't been assured about the security and at this stage we have a bridging visa with condition of no work and no Medicare, and I am still worrying about my future," he said. "And there is still, the possibility is there that may possibly be sending back to China. "My walking out of the consulate is an action against the Chinese Communist Government. They won't tolerate any official who would take actions against the Communist Party. "For my case, some lawyers said that I may be sentenced to 15 years to prison or even the death penalty because of my case - very special." |
| Posted by:Spavirt Pheng6042 |