FORTY THREE DAYS AT THE AIRPORT AND COUNTING

UNCLAS TOKYO 002862 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM JA SUBJECT: FORTY THREE DAYS AT THE AIRPORT AND COUNTING REF: TOKYO 1501 ¶1. (U) Terminal One in Tokyo's Narita has become the world headquarters of Chinese economist, scholar, freelance journalist and human rights and anti-corruption activist Zhenghu Feng's battle to be allowed to return to China. In a waiting area immediately before immigration, camped out on some chairs surrounded by protest signs and literature, Feng recently met with PolOff for the third time to provide an update on his ordeal. "This is my war," Feng said. ¶2. (U) Feng, the first Shanghai signatory of Charter 08, a manifesto calling for political reform and democratization, has tried to return to Shanghai eight times. The first time was July 7, the last time was November 3. Each time, he is either not allowed to board the plane, or, if allowed he is detained in Shanghai, and then put on the next plane back to Japan. Each time he has made it as far as Shanghai, the immigration authorities tell him, "Mr. Feng, we are sorry, but we have orders from above not to allow you back in the country." As Feng puts it, "They never tell me why. I have never broken any laws, and there is nothing in the Chinese constitution, or Chinese law, which allows them to do this." On his most recent attempt, he decided he would resist attempts by the Chinese authorities to put him on the next plane back to Tokyo. "I feel bad that I delayed the plane's departure for about an hour. It took about half a dozen men to carry me onto the plane. Finally, a Chinese employee of JAL sat on me in my seat on the plane to give the cabin crew time to close the door. Afterwards he apologized to me saying, 'Sorry Mr. Feng, I was just doing my job.'" ¶3. (U) Returning to Narita, Feng said that he could not bring himself to go through immigration, and re-enter a foreign country. This is where he would make his stand, on these plastic chairs, in this perpetually-lit international no-man's land. For the first four days he survived on water and vending machine food brought by Narita employees. Gradually as word of his plight spread, a steady stream of visitors from all over the world, but especially Hong Kong and China, brought him blankets, and food, and encouragement to go on. "I am becoming a little bit famous for Chinese who believe in human rights and the rule of law. Some people say I am like the man in Tiananmen who stood in front of the tank. But I don't want them to make me some kind of 'Goddess of Liberty' I am much too funny-looking for that!'" ¶4. (U) Feng's story is being widely covered in the international press. He also has a twitter site: http://twitter.com/fzhenghu and a blogsite: http://fzh999.net He says that although the sites are now blocked in China, people are somehow finding ways to access them, and most of his support on-line comes from Chinese citizens. Showing PolOff his interview schedule for the next two weeks, he said, "You know at first I felt a little cold, and hungry and lonely. And now I feel like the world is coming to me." UNHCR also sent out a representative offering to help Feng claim asylum but he turned them down politely saying, "I have a home and a country, why do I need asylum?" Everyday he says, Japanese immigration officials at the airport send someone to talk with him to try and persuade him to come across to the other side of the immigration booths. "I always tell them, 'that is where I am going,'" and he gives a big smile as his eyes crinkle and he points with his finger in the opposite direction. ROOS