Temple Bar protest demands inquiry

The Ice Age is over now,

Why is there still ice everywhere?

WITH white carnations and the words of poet Bei Dao, Amnesty International's Irish section marked the eighth anniversary yesterday of the repression of the Chinese pro democracy movement in Tiananmen Square.

At a small, brief ceremony in Dublin's Temple Bar - when lunchtime sun worshippers barely opened their eyes or turned their heads - the human rights organisation called on the Chinese government to initiate an impartial and public inquiry into the killings.

Those found responsible should be brought to justice, and all prisoners of conscience should be released immediately and unconditionally, Amnesty, International's Irish director, Ms Mary Lawlor, said.

Also at the ceremony were students from Blackrock College, Dublin, and representatives of the Tibet Support Group - Ireland.

Ms Lawlor said that she had visited the Beijing square and watched people "walking, talking, smiling, sitting in the sun". She had found it hard to comprehend, she explained: "Physically I was there with them, but emotionally I was back in 1989."