New York comptrollers join anti-human rights campaign

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 19th Sep 2003

Alliance Party Justice and Human Rights Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has responded to the attacks on the Human Rights Commission by New York State officials, William Thompson and Alan Hevesi, and called upon the British and Irish Governments to ignore their complaints.

Stephen Farry stated:

"With the latest misinformed attacks on the Human Rights Commission by Messrs Hevesi and Thompson, it is even clearer that there is an organised campaign to undermine the body.

"There is no attempt by the Commission to ndermine either the Agreement or the concept of fair employment.

"It is most regretable that the two gentlemen in question did not take the time to consult with the commission before launching their broadside.

"I am completely astounded that so many people are going hysterical at the concept that people should be able to define their own identity, rather than have their identify artificially constructed by the state.

"Why do some people continue to believe that the only approach to fair employment monitoring is to pigeon-hole everyone into groups and to trample over their human rights to define who they really are?

"Imagine what the international reaction would be if in South Africa, Coloureds and Indians were forced into two boxes called 'black' and 'white'.

There would be an outcry and rightful accusations of racism.

"I have confidence that the British and Irish Governments will see through these blatant and misinformed attempts to undermine the Commission."