Dublin City plans to twin with Beijing must be completely abandoned
Issued : Sunday 20 April, 2008
Dublin City Council's moves to twin Dublin City with the Chinese capital Beijing must be completely abandoned, former Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has said. 'The suggested twinning of Dublin and Beijing was initially proposed by senior management of Dublin City Council and encouraged by the Department of Foreign Affairs in an attempt to improve trade and cultural links between Ireland and China. It was considered by some Councillors as worthwhile on the understanding that China was changing and that twinnings help a city and move towards openness and international acceptability' Cllr Ó Riordáin stated.
'However I and many other Councillors across the political spectrum were extremely uneasy about the prospect of twinning with Beijing given the appalling human rights record of Chinese administrations over many many years. A twinning is not a neutral economic trade statement. A twinning is a statement of solidarity with another city, a statement that we have a common understanding in relation to issues cultural, social and human rights issues - a statement of brotherhood. Even before the outbreak of violence in Tibet, I felt that a twinning with Beijing was inappropriate. It is now clear to me that such a twinning would be absolutely wrong and all plans must be completely abandoned.' Cllr Ó Riordáin stated.
'It is only eight years since we as a city honoured Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was placed under house arrest by the Chinese sponsored military regime. It would be hypocritical in the extreme for us to honour China with a twinning with her capital city. While China continues to suppress her own people and while she continues to sponsor human rights abuses in Tibet, Burma, Darfur and other areas' Cllr Ó Ríordáin concluded.
