On the other side of the phone line, miles away, an eager Di Zhang is ready to give any information that may spread awareness concerning her uncle, Mr. Sun, and his pending fate in China. It’s been a long and trying road for Di and her family since the detainment of her uncle in 2005. Di lives in the US, along with her mother (Mr. Sun’s sister). She has given countless interviews while interceding for her uncle and his family overseas. This interview is one of many, and will most likely not be the last. Yet, Di explains every detail with great zeal. It is hard to believe she has been dealing with the ordeal for seven years.
Mr. Sun was an exceedingly successful contractor and businessman in Shenzhen, China with more than 6 different companies in more than 6 different industries. Di describes her uncle as hardworking, smart, honest, and kind. Mr. Sun’s hardworking nature with the addition of luck, became the essential combination to his entrepreneurial success. His business started in the 80’s during the cultural reform and began to grow amongst the industrial boom. During the late 90’s, the Chinese government was tied to strange disappearances and arrests concerning select businesses. Mr. Sun ran an honest business that was state owned. He and his family had no reason to believe they would be affected by the odd occurrences until Mr. Sun went missing.
Di clarifies that since the beginning, the whole case has been one of hopeful anxiousness. Everything is unclear and no one knows what to expect. It was a regular day coming home from the office. Mr. Sun was to meet an employee after his daily cross over the boarder from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, but never arrived. The family immediately knew something was wrong. Either Mr. Sun was kidnapped for money, or the government was involved. It didn’t take long to understand that it was indeed the government. However, weeks went by before Mr. Sun’s wife, daughter, close friends, and relatives became aware of his detainment. On the day of his disappearance, in 2005, Mr. Sun crossed the border when police officers arrested him with a blank warrant. It was months before the charges were revealed: “Bribery,” “Fraudulence,” “Miss-use of Position,” and “False Investment.” The charges were made in regards to a contract Mr. Sun had made with an oil transportation company. Before the disappearance, Mr. Sun had brought a suit against the government. They had taken his contracted land in order to have access to the new-found, abundant supply of oil it contained. One thing became clear to all who were close with Mr. Sun. The government had taken advantage of him and his company.
Though Mr. Sun was released in 2006, things have not been the same for he and his loved ones since. Mr. Sun remains on house arrest, unable to work or provide for his family. Over the years, charges have been dropped and new ones have been brought up. During Mr. Sun’s trial, the evidence collected could not give support to government claims. Once again, confusion bred from confusion. The trial was completed in 2010 with no verdict. After being in what Di’s legal representative called “limbo” for two years, earlier this year, the family received a court notice stating that the remaining charge was taken away. However, with no clause of “Double Jeopardy” in the Chinese law system, Mr. Sun is in danger of having the same charge raised against him in the future.
It is exhausting to think of what Di and her family have gone through and are still going through in regards to the process. “It’s always something in my mind.” she states with finality. Di reveals the terrible moments of her uncle’s detainment. During Mr. Sun’s first disappearance and detainment family members and close friends came together in order to support Mr. Sun’s wife and daughter. Mr. Sun’s wife and child hid for fear the government would come after them as well. Mr. Sun was also unable to say good bye to his own mother before she died. Today, the daughter, Shiyu Sun is 9. Both mother and daughter are still living on the support from Mr. Sun’s friends in Beijing. In order to give Shiyu a stable education and childhood Mrs. Sun and Shiyu have lived away from the man they know a their loving father and husband.
Di expresses the pain and stress of the situation on both her and her mother. She shares how her mother was unable to sleep while her brother was being detained thousands of miles away. Though sleep comes a little easier, there is still a feeling of disturbance that lingers. As a beloved niece, Di ardently states, “My uncle and I were so close.” “He was like a father to me.” She wakes up every morning with the same thought, “When will this all finish completely?” Di feels that the story is above all, a human rights story. It is more than a political issue. It is personal to her, her family, and Mr. Sun. It is certain that Di will remain anxiously hopeful until resolve is found for Mr. Sun.

for more information on Mr. Sun and his story .....
http://www.tiangangsun.com