UNIONISTS HAVE reacted with hostility to proposals by Northern Ireland's Human Rights Commission for a Bill of Rights. The commission formally handed its advice on a new Bill of Rights to the British government yesterday.
A senior Northern Ireland Office source said the UK government would examine the advice and allow a consultation process.
The commission said its document complied with the highest international human rights standards. It stresses the need for a right to equality, education, freedom from violence, exploitation, harassment and discrimination.It also calls for a right to identity, culture, language rights, democratic rights, rights to liberty and a fair trial.
However, Ulster Unionist deputy leader Danny Kennedy said the advice suggested that power would be taken from legislators and given to judges. He also said the document would be unacceptable in any other region of the UK.
"We would be gravely concerned if the Secretary of State attempted to proceed with legislation on the basis of what is proposed by the commission. Such an attempt would undermine the Assembly and could provoke a constitutional crisis," he said.
DUP junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson said the commission had "taken the foolish Bill of Rights Forum recommendations and made them worse. The DUP has made it very clear that the litmus test for any Bill of Rights will be the degree of confidence which it can command across the entire community," he said.
"When the Bill of Rights Forum presented its report to the chief commissioner, we made it clear that the contents of that report were entirely unacceptable to the pro-union community."
Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson said the document was a "key step in realising one of the outstanding commitments in the Good Friday agreement".
Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the trade unions and a number of NGOs have all endorsed the advice.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said: "There is a clear need for a meaningful Bill of Rights which is articulate across key social economic and environmental standards. Above all, the Bill should be a shield for citizens."
The Progressive Unionist Party also greeted the document. "The PUP has long supported a Bill of Rights to address some of the specific circumstances of this country," said party leader and Assembly member Dawn Purvis.
"We have the existing guidance of the UK Human Rights Act, but our unique history means that we have some particular situations and conditions that deserve the attention of a Bill of Rights."
The Alliance party voiced its reservations. Assembly member Dr Stephen Farry said: "Rather than acknowledging the reality of a diverse society with open, mixed and multiple identities, these proposals further entrench the fallacy that everyone must be pigeon-holed into two communities. These proposals would further entrench the flawed structures of government, at a time when there is a groundswell of support for significant changes."
Mike Ritchie of the Committee on the Administration of Justice said: "Bills of Rights around the world are designed to protect people equally."
Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International added: "Amnesty welcomes the advice. Northern Ireland's past has been marked by too many human wrongs. It's time for politicians to put old divisions behind them to ensure Northern Ireland's future is one of human rights."