David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the aftermath of remarks made by Senator Ray Butler, me and other Members about the appalling situation in Aleppo, I received an ungrammatical, badly spelled and mildly abusive letter from the Russian ambassador. I have replied to him in similar terms. He talks about tailor-made accusations. The House takes a very even-handed view of human rights issues and I hope it will continue. The accusations are not tailor made; they are independently verified. Horrendous attacks have been made on areas of civilian population and UN convoys, and targeted attacks have been made repeatedly on hospitals. The ambassador referred to unprecedented anti-Russian propaganda. I have no reason whatever to engage in anti-Russian propaganda and I would deprecate anybody who does so. The ambassador referred to American actions in the Middle East and said he failed to hear any accusations levelled against the Americans. I am sorry for the state of his hearing. I have repeatedly done so in the House. I have repeatedly instanced Fallujah. Regarding Aleppo, I said the West was in a very difficult position given the way in which the Americans had attacked Fallujah and the Israelis had attacked Gaza. I hope the House will continue to raise human rights issues.

I am a little concerned about the attitude to China. We have taken a very softly softly approach to China regarding human rights issues, and we should toughen it up. Our attitude is rather like the old song, "Don't Let's be Beastly to the Germans". We think we must be very careful what we say about the Chinese. I do not think so. On the wireless this morning, I heard somebody repeat something to which I had been made privy, namely, the horrendous situation in China, where they are murdering people on a mass level in order to take organs from them for transplants. It is an utterly shocking practice and should be raised with the Chinese. The Chinese authorities, from what I know of them, will not respect people who are mealy mouthed. They have much more respect for people who tell it straight as it is. The murder of hundreds of thousands of people to use their organs for transplants is utterly intolerable. It goes back to the worst atrocities of the Second World War.