Harassment Concerns U.S. Govt.

U.S. State Department officials yesterday made clear that reports of Chinese embassy officials "intimidating" student nationals at American universities are "of serious concern," three days before a Washington demonstration is planned to show support for the pro-democracy movement.

David A. Denney, a State Department spokesperson, said yesterday in a phone interview from Washington that Chinese officials have been warned to "refrain from such activities."

"We have discussed allegations of harassment with law enforcement agencies which have been looking into the reports and will keep us informed," Denney said. "Should these reports be substantiated, we are prepared to take whatever further action is appropriate."

The statement comes after students throughout the U.S. have charged Chinese officials with harassment that has intensified as Sunday's demonstration date nears.

The threats, together with editorials in a Chinese government newspaper distributed through the Chinese embassy, have scared many students away from participating in the pro-democracy march, said Luo Zhexi, president of the Harvard Chinese Student Organization.

Luo said that overseas editions of the People's Daily--which activists have called "China's Pravda"--have warned students of retribution for taking part in the march and have been effective at deterring them.

"I spoke with a friend at Washington University in St. Louis and he said before the articles 80 people said they were going to come," said Luo, a post-doctoral fellow in Arts and Sciences. "But after the articles only 50 were willing."

But Luo said the Chinese have responded very differently at Harvard and other universities where the pro-democracy movement is strong.

"People [here] are very angry at how stupid the Chinese government people are," Luo said. "I can't tell if people are more courageous or more afraid after the articles but it forced them to take a stand and more people are willing to get involved."

Luo said 45 students from Harvard were committed to attending the march before the rash of threats but now more than 60 protesters are expected to be on the bus for Washington which leaves the main gates of MIT on Saturday night.

Pei Minxin, a fourth-year Harvard graduate student in the school of Arts and Sciences, was one of the first to report the threats, according to the Newton, Mass.-based China Information Center.

"The first time I received a call it was very threatening," said Pei, who is leaving for Washington tonight. "It talked about death. It was given in a very sinister voice and there was Chinese funeral music in the background.

"At the moment I think I'm safe because I'm in America," said Pei, who nonetheless has changed his telephone number. "There are much bigger government targets abroad."