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Acquitted defendant to seek asylum “I still dream of going to America”
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Posted on Oct 07 1999
Shi Guo Ri was among those who had paid for a dream that would turn into a nightmare. He wanted to go to the United States. He would eventually bring over his family to join him when he gets settled there.
He drew beautiful images on his mind when he left Fu Quing village and boarded the rusty boat bound for Guam.
Instead, he spent several months in jail after being charged with crimes that he said he did not understand.
Shi was one of the four defendants who were acquitted of alien smuggling charges yesterday.
“I’m very happy I was found innocent. I never did anything wrong,” Shi said through an interpreter.
He said he hasn’t given up on his “American dream.” He has asked his attorney William Campbell to assist him in his application for asylum in the U.S.
“I cannot go back to China anymore,” Shi said.
Shi is a native of Fu Quing, a small village in Fujian Province, where he finished 8th grade and worked as a baker.
He is married and has two kids, who are now with his parents in Nan Xiao.
“My parents are very old. They cannot help anymore. In China, life is terrible. I want to go to America and bring my family there,” said Shi.
Shi and his wife were penalized by the Chinese government for getting married at an illegal age. They were fined $10,000 RMB (about $1,000). He was 23 and she was 20 when they got married.
In China, the marrying age is 24 for men and 21 for women.
Shi said he is afraid to go back to China because he and his wife are facing prosecution for having a second child. China follows the one-child policy.
“We have not gotten our punishment yet but we’re expecting it. I don’t believe in having only one child,” Shi said.
After the agony of waiting in the jail, Shi said he now only hopes that “I can be given a chance to get asylum.” (MCM)
