Equality group is lopsided warns Trimble
From NEWS LETTER October 11th, 2000
MERVYN PAULEY
Make-up `blatantly unequal' DAVID Trimble has hit out at what he sees as
the blatantly one- sided make-up of an equality working group set up by
the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. And he warns that the commission
``is in danger'' of extending its remit - which is defined in the Belfast
Agreement - into that of the Equality Commission. The Ulster Unionist leader's
concerns are expressed in a letter sent to Peter Mandelson on September
28, a copy of which has been leaked to the News Letter. He wants to know
from the Secretary of State what action the NIO proposes to ensure that
the NIHRC ``in future meets its obligations under the Agreement''. The 12-strong
new working group is chaired by Maggie Beirne, of the Committee for the
Administration of Justice. It is one of a number of sub-committees looking
at the issue of a rights bill. According to Mr Trimble, CAJ is an organisation
``which has consistently attacked the police and security forces to the
total exclusion of the infringements of human rights perpetrated by paramilitaries''.
Although the First Minister concedes that not all of the new group's members
are known to him, he says it comprises one Indian, nine Roman Catholics,
and just two Protestants, one of whom works for EPIC, the UVF's prisoner
resettlement group. He says: ``There is a certain irony that an `Equality
Committee' should be so blatantly unequal in its composition.'' Mr Trimble
reiterated earlier concerns he raised with the Government about the operation
and composition of the Human Rights Commission, protesting that it did not
include a single supporter of either main unionist party. He has asked the
Chief Commissioner, Professor Brice Dickson, to detail what other committees
his organisation has set up. Mr Trimble complains that extending the body's
remit into that of the Equality Commission is in keeping with its mode of
operation. Its Agreement remit is to consult and advise on rights supplementary
to the ECHR ``to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland''.
He goes on: ``However, the Chief Commissioner and his Commissioners regularly
claim they have a mandate to draw up a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
``Their Strategic Plan suggests they want to include within such a Bill
of Rights all manner of rights which not only have no relevance to what
makes Northern Ireland a society particular from any other in Western Europe
but could have massive negative implications for the rest of the UK.'' Seamus
Lynch, of Help the Aged and one of the equality group members, said last
night that as an active supporter of a rights bill, he welcomed the invitation
to join it. He said he was not in a position to comment on its make-up as
he only knew six other members. But he did add: "The choice of Maggie Beirne
as chairperson did not surprise me. She coordinates the equality coalition
made up of voluntary and community groups and is highly respected." The
equality group has eight people from Belfast, one of whom, Ms Evelyn Collins,
is with the Equality Commission, and one each from Londonderry, Lisburn
and Enniskillen. It also includes Prof Barry Fitzpatrick, of the University
of Ulster, Jordanstown. |
