Madam, - Having read John Gormley's comments at the weekend and having watched RTÉ's Questions & Answers on Monday night, I am astounded by the hypocrisy of both Western media and politicians towards China. No doubt this stems from fear and misunderstanding of the globe's new economic and political superpower.
Apart from the damage that Mr Gormley's remarks will do to an already failing Irish economy, his behaviour toward the Chinese ambassador was a disgrace and nothing more than a costly publicity stunt by the Green Party.
Rather than using the correct diplomatic channels to discuss the Tibetan issue with Chinese diplomats, Mr Gormley invited the Chinese Ambassador to a public meeting and then insulted him. This was the worst kind of grandstanding, as his remarks will do nothing for Tibet and nothing for Ireland.
While Mr Gormley is being feted as a hero in his own party for standing up to China, the reality is that he has damaged Ireland's good standing with China to serve his own ends. For example, the rules for Irish nationals applying for Chinese visas have now been altered by the Chinese Embassy, as of Monday.
Some of the comments about China, mostly from people who have never even set foot there, highlight the ignorance of the country and its people. How many people are aware that a Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP) already exists near Western Sichuan in China? And that it is where most Tibetans live peacefully? And that it has the largest Lamist monastery in the world with more than 500 Lamist monks? And that the Dalai Lama himself favours this type of autonomy?
China has come very far in a very short time in terms of modernisation and the problems that do exist cannot be fixed overnight. But rather than trying to understand the Chinese position, the ill-informed anti-China agenda seeks to alienate, insult and humiliate a proud people and a country that is trying to resolve these issues.
Perhaps, before criticising China or indeed any other country, Irish people should look at the disgraceful treatment of Irish boxer John Joe Nevin last Friday. Having qualified for the Beijing Olympics, he was unable to book a "welcome home" function in any hotel in Cavan or Mullingar because he is a settled traveller.
Did John Gormley have any comment on this denial of human rights at his party's convention? - Yours, etc,
KEVIN LYNCH, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.
Madam, - Congratulations to Green Party leader John Gormley for making that excellent and unequivocal condemnation of the appalling treatment of Tibet by the Chinese regime, and for doing it in the knowledge that the Chinese ambassador was in attendance. No beating about the bush here, or fatuous references to "hissy fits". Gormley stood up to be counted. May we hope that other party leaders will follow suit? - Yours, etc,
JOHN H. DICK, Washington Lane, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.
Madam, - Far more human misery is caused by China's appalling environmental practices than by its neo-colonial adventures in Tibet.
Were Green Party leader John Gormley genuinely concerned about the environment he would have focused on this, instead of antagonising one of the few countries that has both a large population and the ability properly to control how its people use or abuse nature's resources.
Environmental decisions taken by the Chinese government have global implications, and even a tiny shift in the right direction would eclipse anything an Irish government could possibly hope to achieve. - Yours, etc,
DAVID ROLFE, Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6.
Madam, - How wonderful it was to see over 1,000 members of the Chinese community exercise their democratic rights last Saturday in Dublin in support of the Beijing Olympics. It's just a pity that their compatriots back home don't enjoy the same privileges of freedom of assembly and speech.
Perhaps, next time out, they might demonstrate for these pillars of human rights on behalf of their friends and families? - Yours, etc,
DEREK LARNEY, Riverbank House, Islandbridge, Dublin 8.
Madam, - Your edition of April 14th reports that an Irish protester was "jeered and had his poster grabbed before gardaí intervened" at a rally officially sanctioned by the People's Republic of China in support of the Beijing Olympics. That protester is a good friend of mine, and his version of events is extremely worrying.
My friend happened to be passing when he noticed this sham event. Motivated by a sense of justice, this brave young man decided to make a counter-protest. Without provocation or malice he held aloft a makeshift banner declaring support for the oppressed people of Tibet. The crowd turned on him; he was suddenly kicked and punched by a mob. They may not do free speech in China, but I thought we did in Ireland. Instead of arresting the violent members of the mob, the gardaí arrested my friend.
The Chinese regime was founded by the greatest mass murderer of the 20th century, Mao Zedong. This is a regime that has caused the deaths of more than 60 million people. This is a regime that most Western countries fear to condemn for fear of being excluded from trade. Irish people and the Irish Government need to grasp the full implications of the Chinese rally held in Dublin and our relationship with the regime. - Yours, etc,
Cllr JOHN KENNY, (Progressive Democrat), Monkstown Valley, Co Dublin.