September 10, 2011

By OLIVIA KELLY, The Irish Times

LORD MAYOR of Dublin Andrew Montague has ratified the twinning of Dublin and Beijing despite having vehemently opposed the move last year.

The Irish Falun Dafa Association, which represents Falun Gong practitioners living in Ireland, protested outside the official twinning reception attended by mayor of Beijing Guo Jinlong in the Mansion House yesterday.

The proposal to twin the cities was advanced by the previous lord mayor Fine Gael’s Gerry Breen and was approved by Dublin City Council last December by 25 votes to 14.

Labour councillor Mr Montague voted against the motion. Speaking at the council meeting he said it would be wrong to twin with a dictatorship which engaged in torture and executions.

“It is wrong to twin with a city and a country which has such a bad human rights record.”

Mr Montague told the meeting he had a friend who was a member of Falun Dafa who had experienced torture at the hands of the Chinese regime.

“We should not be giving political rewards to the Chinese unelected leadership until they stop their torture and until they stop their executions,” he told the meeting.

Speaking at the official twinning ceremony Mr Montague, who became lord mayor last June, said it was “vitally important we forge a friendship with cities like Beijing”.

The twinning would allow both cities to build “real and lasting bonds of friendship”, he said.

Both cities would benefit from the twinning economically, socially and culturally, he said. He added that he was looking forward to showing Mr Guo the Dublinbikes scheme. “This is just one example of how our cities can come together and share knowledge that will improve the quality of life our people enjoy.”

The twinning would also make it easier for students from Beijing to come to Dublin and would enhance Dublin’s position as an “international student city”.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Montague acknowledged that he had opposed the twinning. “I was against the twinning because of the lack of democracy in Beijing, the lack of democracy in China.”

He said his opinion had not changed since the council meeting where he voted against the twinning but as lord mayor it was his job to execute the democratic will of the city council.

“My opinions are my opinions, but the council voted democratically to support the twinning proposal and I am the democratic representative of the council. It is my job to carry out the democratic wishes of the council.”

The position he was in was “delicate” he said, given his previous comments. “It is a delicate position, but politicians are often put in a delicate position. That’s part of the job.”

Mr Montague said he did not have an opportunity to speak with the protesters before yesterday’s reception, but has previously met with them. Mr Guo and his delegation will also meet the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste during the visit.