Little Cao spends his days in his best friend's one-room apartment, watching television and reading. At night, he goes out on free-lance jobs, translating letters and contracts into English to earn a little money. He quit his government job in June when his boss began questioning him about his participation in last spring's pro-democracy marches. But other work units won't hire him because of his suspect political background. By quitting, he lost his office-assigned housing. He worries that authorities will send him back to his family's hometown unless he finds a job in Beijing soon. ``If you know of any foreign companies in Beijing that have openings, please let me know,'' he pleads. Cao is one of the hidden casualties of June's army crackdown on the democracy movement _ people who were not jailed but have been punished in other, subtler ways traditional to China's communist system. Some have been fired, others demoted. Several college seniors had their degrees withheld, while others were denied approval for planned study abroad. China long has used extra-legal punishments for those considered troublemakers. During the 1966-76 far leftist Cultural Revolution, thousands of alleged ``capitalist-roaders'' were sent to rural villages as punishment. Just being related to a political offender could bring trouble. Even now, some relatives of people arrested in June say they have been ostracized. One woman whose husband was jailed said authorities have refused to help her find a job. Most jobs must be officially arranged. Neighbors refuse to talk to her. ``They figure if I'm his wife, I should suffer,'' she says. A college senior who was active in the movement was expelled without his degree, losing his chance for a job assignment. He found part-time work on his own, but still relies on friends' support to get enough to eat. He lives in an empty storage room at his old school, in constant fear he will be kicked out. Another student was allowed to graduate and was assigned a good job at a central government office, but was fired almost immediately. She was told she would have to work for one year in the countryside before being assigned another job. One woman had her private shop shut down because she supported the movement. Several university lecturers who encouraged their students to march were suspended from work. A department head at an official newspaper was demoted to an ordinary reporter for having marched once last spring. A reporter on another newspaper was downgraded to a researcher, with a cut in pay.
