Human Rights Commission rocked by third resignation

Patrick Yu has become the third member of the Human Rights Commission in Northern Ireland to resign during the past twelve months.

Handing in his resignation on Monday, Mr Yu said he felt his position on the board had become untenable due to the commission's approach to human rights and issues of equality. He further claimed that the commission's position was helping to undermine the Good Friday Agreement, under which it was set up.

Mr Yu went on to state that the move did not detract from his desire to secure an "effective protection" of human rights in Northern Ireland and to see an effective Bill of Rights established to that end.

A spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission said the organisation was disappointed, and that the ten remaining commissioners would discuss further the points which Mr Yu had raised in his resignation letter.

The Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities has said it supports Mr Yu's decision to step down from his post. An official statement praised Mr Yu's attempt to resolve what the Council described as "difficulties" within the commission.

Professor Christine Bell and Inez McCormack resigned from the commission in September 2002, citing a lack of confidence in the organisation's resources, and in its remit to improve and protect human rights.

Speaking on behalf of both herself and Professor Bell, Inez McCormack said: "We believe it is ineffective and we believe that it damages the potential to build a practice of human rights."

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was established on 1 March 1999. Composed of a full-time Chief Commissioner and nine part-time commissioners, its role is to promote awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland, to review existing law and practice and to advise the Secretary of State and the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly on what steps need to be taken to fully protect human rights in Northern Ireland.

(CL)