An American consul has met a human rights activist in Chengdu to discuss the landmark payment of 'hardship assistance' to the mother of a teenage boy whose death was linked to the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown on protesters. Kathryn Pongonis, who writes reports on Chinese human rights, religious and Tibetan issues, asked activist Huang Qi , webmaster of 64tianwang.com, details about Zhou Guocong's case in a hotel meeting last Friday. Zhou, 15, was found dead at a detention centre in Chengdu on June 7, 1989 - allegedly beaten to death - a day after his arrest for joining pro-democracy protests. Authorities in Chengdu recently granted 'hardship assistance' - not compensation, according to the government - of 70,000 yuan to Zhou's parents, Mr Huang's website reported. Mr Huang, 43, described the two-hour meeting - held under close surveillance - as sincere. 'She took out a report on the payout printed from our website and wanted to learn our views on it, and the reactions from people within the system,' Mr Huang said. 'I believe the international community will show greater support for Chinese human rights.' The pair also discussed religious persecution and protection of farmers' civil rights. After Mr Huang left home on Friday, four police went to his flat and interrogated Deng Yongliang, a website volunteer. They asked him to call Mr Huang home on the suspicion that he was using a fake identity card - the fourth time the police had made the claim in a month. During Mr Huang's meeting with Ms Pongonis, three police cars were parked outside the hotel, with plain-clothes officers watching in the lobby. 'They were reminding me that I should pay attention to what I say to the consul,' Mr Huang said. He said he was also helping Zhou's family to get some compensation and aimed to get 650,000 yuan from the state in a year or two. Meanwhile, another website volunteer is helping a Cultural Revolution victim seek 'hardship assistance' - which, if successful, would be the second payout in a political case.
