Human Rights Bill not a sticking plaster to heal past wounds

That is the message from the Evangelical Alliance in its formal submission to the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum.

27 February 2008

 HUMAN RIGHTS BILL NOT A STICKING PLASTER TO HEAL PAST WOUNDS

That is the message from the Evangelical Alliance in its formal submission to the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum. The Forum, established following the St Andrews Agreement in 2006, must make recommendations to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland by 31 March 2008.

Commenting on the Alliance's submission National Director Stephen Cave said:

'The Evangelical Alliance is strongly committed to contributing to a positive future for Northern Ireland. A Bill of Rights may be one step towards a positive and 'just' future but it is not a catch-all to alleviate the many problems and hurts resulting from years of conflict. With its seven working groups the Forum appears set on a path towards a restrictive and overly detailed piece of legislation. However a more open ended approach for a society committed to change would perhaps be more effective.'

He went on to say:

'Critical to a free and healthy society is the Christian understanding which recognises responsibility toward others alongside the protection of rights. Too strong an emphasis on individualism has the potential to fracture society rather than bring it together. Shared responsibility on the other hand has the potential to transform society through hope, imagination and active citizenship.'

The Evangelical Alliance response to the Bill of Rights Forum can be found here.

Ends

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Evangelical Alliance UK, formed in 1846, is an umbrella group representing over one million evangelical Christians in the UK and is made up of member churches, organisations and individuals. As part of a movement ‘uniting to change society’, the Alliance promotes unity and truth, acts as an evangelical voice to the state, society and the wider Church, and provides resources to help members and other evangelicals live out their faith in their communities.