Sir, - Wang Xinping, First Secretary in the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, wrote (June 11th), in defence of the massacre in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, "I would like to tell you that it is with a sense of responsibility to the Chinese people that the Chinese government took immediate, correct and resolute measures to stop the disturbance, thus maintaining social stability and ensuring the smooth development of the reform. . ." I would suggest to Mr Xinping that "maintaining social stability" is often fascist-speak for human rights abuses, disappearances, extra-judicial killings, labour camps and a deep hatred of reform. A brief examination of the sayings of some well-known dictators will explain what I mean. - Yours, etc.,
John T. Kavanagh, Braemor Road, Dublin.