The Green Ribbon

Michael Mansfield takes up Finucane case

From the Pat Finucane Centre:

FINUCANE FAMILY SEEKS MEETING WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER ON NEW INQUIRY

The Finucane family announced today, 12th February 2008, the 19th anniversary of the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, that their lawyers will seek meetings with the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, to press the case for a fully independent public inquiry into British State collusion in Pat Finucane’s murder.  International human rights lawyers Michael Mansfield QC and Richard Harvey of Tooks Chambers, London, have been announced also as part of the family’s legal team.

Michael Finucane, solicitor and eldest son of Pat Finucane, said in Dublin today:

“The British Government promised to establish an independent public
inquiry following the recommendations of Justice Peter Cory. Britain
then delayed the establishment of the inquiry to pass new legislation
that gives control to its own Ministers. Our legal team are tasked with
ensuring the inquiry will not be reduced to a State vehicle for
suppression. Secret justice is no justice at all.”

Michael Mansfield and Richard Harvey are two of Britain’s leading
human rights counsel. Speaking from London, Michael Mansfield said:
“The significance of the murder of Pat Finucane cannot be
underestimated. The extent to which collusion existed between Britain
and Loyalist paramilitaries is deeply shocking, and all the more so
when employed in the murder of an officer of the court to stop him from
doing his job, and to deter others from doing theirs.”

Richard Harvey added, “19 years ago, I attended Pat Finucane’s funeral
in Belfast.  It is unconscionable that successive governments have
failed to conduct an independent inquiry.  There can be no whitewash in
this case and we will not allow another anniversary of this murder to
pass without the Government being called to account.”

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One response to “Michael Mansfield takes up Finucane case”

  1. Lynford Bernard avatar
    Lynford Bernard

    I am not suprised that the British Government has reneged on its promises to establish an independent public inquiry with regards to this case. Pat Finucane was killed because he represented Catholics exposed to injustice. No doubt the Government now thinks that it is worth sacrificing an enquiry to preserve a fragile peace. It’s the same in every situation the world over throughout the decades. Those who have suffered are expected to make one last push at suffering a bit more in the hope that they will see some semblance of peace. Of course, all this could have been avoided if the British Government had the courage to do what was necessary and call an end to Colonial rule in Northern Ireland (NI) thus sending a clear and unequivocal message to the Unionists that the game was over. Had that happened, the man they call Mr No, would not be saying all those years,”Never,Never,Never, but “where do we start”. There was/is no State In NI that was seperate from the British Crown. By failing to do the above, past British Governments were more than complicit in the subjugation of the Catholics in NI. Thus in conclusion Richard Harvey was right. It is unconscionable that successive Governments have failed to conduct an indipendent public inquiry. So it is that, the mould is set and no one is willing to break it. Far better to leave the subjects clashing their shields until their arms are too weary to hold them. Victory to the Finucane family.
    LB.

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