Why is China so afraid of one blind activist?

Chen Guangcheng's future hangs in the balance.
Sign this petition: http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLQPAJiJUG&b=6645049&aid=517769&msource=W1205EAIAR2 Dear Tracy, Chinese human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who is blind, escaped house arrest in Shandong province last week -- but his future remains uncertain. The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue is underway in Beijing now. Urge leaders to respect Chen's human rights and allow him to choose his own future. Chen, a self-taught lawyer who was imprisoned and then subjected to violence and house arrest for exposing forced abortions and sterilizations in China, made a daring, Houdini-like escape to the U.S. embassy. Following delicate negotiations with the United States, Chinese officials pledged to allow Chen to live a "normal life" with his family, and he initially agreed to return home. Does this sound "normal" to you? "I don't know what's happened to my mother. There are guards inside the yard, in all the rooms, even on the roof. They've set up lots of cameras in my home and are preparing electric fences. They told my family they'd take wooden sticks and beat my family to death, so it's very unsafe." -Chen Guangcheng, in an interview with NPRi In recent hours, Chen has expressed a desire to leave China, fearing that he and his family can never enjoy freedom under the current system. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is representing the United States in China today. Her presence can provide the pressure we need to ensure Chen's safety. The world is watching. Let Chen choose his own future. Sincerely, Frank Jannuzi Director, Washington Office Amnesty International USA