Sir, - I would like to express my concerns about the recent criticism directed at Professor Brice Dickson, the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The responses of members of the UUP and the Chief Constable to the Commission's statement on plastic bullets were unwise, hasty and misjudged.
The commission reached a reasonable conclusion about an ongoing human rights problem in the North. The continuing use of plastic bullets, given the historical experience, should be of concern to anyone with a genuine interest in the effective protection of human rights. The Human Rights Commission is to be supported on this issue, and those who are calling for the resignation of the Chief Commissioner need to get a sense of perspective, or else take a relaxing holiday. - Yours, etc.,
Prof. Colin Harvey, University of Leeds' Leeds.