The Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Brehon Law Society and the Irish American Unity Conference have all welcomed the decision to hold an independent inquiry into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane.
And the announcement has also prompted a statement from Congressman Richard Neal, co-chair of the Friends of Ireland in Congress.
Said the AOH statement from National President Sean Pender. "The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), the largest Irish American organization in the United States, welcomes the long-overdue decision by the British government to hold an independent public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
"For over 35 years, the Finucane family has tirelessly campaigned for truth and justice, seeking to uncover those responsible for targeting their husband and father as he was peacefully eating Sunday dinner and the full extent of the collusion between state forces and loyalist paramilitaries that led to Pat's brutal assassination in front of his wife and children.
"The decision to finally proceed with this inquiry is a critical step toward addressing one of the most horrific killings of the Northern Ireland Conflict. However, our joy in the welcome news of an inquiry is tempered by the fact that it has taken far too long to get here along a road littered with broken British promises and bureaucratic roadblocks.
"The commitment to hold a public inquiry into Pat Finucane's murder was made over two decades ago by the British government, not only to the Finucane family, but to the world in the context of international agreements with the Irish government.
"Despite numerous findings by previous investigations that indicated alarming levels of state involvement, including the acknowledgment on the floor of the British parliament by former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron of 'shocking levels of collusion,' successive British governments have failed to deliver on their commitment to complete transparency. Instead, they have stalled, delayed, and attempted to obfuscate, leaving the Finucane family and many others to fight a long and arduous battle for the truth, which should be theirs as a fundamental human right.
"While the AOH welcomes the decision by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn to finally honor the commitments made, we are concerned about his statement that this inquiry is an 'exceptional' circumstance. There is no doubt that the murder of Pat Finucane was exceptional, exceptional in its barbarity, inhumanity, and the callousness shown by government officials more dedicated to protecting their organizations than the people they were sworn to serve. Like the Finucanes, hundreds of other families are awaiting justice in Derry, Ballymurphy, Loughinisland, Dublin, Monaghan, and many more communities throughout Ireland.
"These families also deserve transparency and accountability. It is essential to acknowledge that the decision to hold a public inquiry in this instance should not be viewed as a special case, but rather a start on a broader commitment to addressing the legacy of Northern Ireland's troubled past comprehensively and equitably.
"Every family who has suffered loss during the Troubles deserves the same opportunity to pursue justice, and the British government must commit to ensuring that this inquiry is not an isolated act but the beginning of a sincere effort to uncover the truth.
"The Ancient Order of Hibernians will be closely monitoring the progress of this inquiry. We commend the Finucane family for their strength and perseverance and assure them of our continued solidarity in their pursuit of justice. We also call upon the U.S. government to actively monitor this process and to encourage transparency and accountability from our British allies. As a nation committed to justice and human rights, we must stand with all who seek the truth and justice. As Dr. King observed, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'
"It is time for the British government to make good on its promises, not just to the Finucane family but to all the families who have waited too long for the truth. The world is watching, and so are we."
The Irish American Unity Conference, by way of National President Peter Kissel, also welcomed the British Government’s announcement Stating: "Mr. Finucane was shot dead in his family home in Belfast in February 1989 by British Government operatives. J
"John Finucane stated that his father was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in collusion with the British Government while the family sat at the dinner table in the kitchen of their home. Eight years old at the time, John said his mother, sister, and brother huddled in a corner as the murderers fired shot after shot into the prone figure of his father.
Geraldine Finucane has waged a courageous, exhausting 35-year campaign demanding that the British Government conduct an objective public inquiry into her husband’s killing. In announcing the inquiry, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn acknowledged that the UK has resisted holding an inquiry for decades, stating “The plain fact is that for two decades that commitment has been unfulfilled.
"In view of the British Government’s long history of not fulfilling its commitments regarding legacy investigations, the IAUC will continue to monitor its implementation of its latest promise to the Finucane family."
The Brehon Law Society of New York, through its president, Domhnall O’Cathain, welcomed the announcement Stating: "This announcement follows 35 years of delays and denials by successive British governments who always hoped this injustice would simply disappear.
"British Prime Minister Keir Stamer and Secretary Hillary Benn should be thanked for standing up against the meddling British securocrats who have opposed all efforts to establish a fair and just inquiry into the murder.
"More importantly, the Finucane family should be lauded for their tenacity and persistence in making this happen. Through years of political pressure, legal pressure, they have forced the British government to do what it should have done many years ago. Being familiar with the vagaries of the British government promises, we will of course continue to keep an eye to make sure it follows through on this promise."
Congressman Neal said: “On February 12, 1989, loyalist gunmen with links to British security forces broke into the Belfast home of Pat Finucane with a sledgehammer.
"Upon entering, they fired fourteen shots at the highly regarded human rights solicitor at point-blank range in front of his wife and children, killing the lawyer who was known to represent both Catholics and Protestants at the height of the conflict in the north of Ireland.
"He was just 39 years old on the day of his murder. His violent death, with proven levels of state collusion, has long been regarded as one of the most controversial and shocking events of the Troubles. Repeated calls from his family over decades for a full, open, and transparent public inquiry into his brutal assassination have long been thwarted by the British government. But there now may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
"British Secretary of State Hilary Benn addressed the House of Commons and informed them he was calling for the long sought-after public inquiry. Years after public apologies, acknowledgment of state collusion, and concealment of evidence and identities of known informers with direct knowledge of the case, the Finucanes may finally see their day in court.
"Like many longtime supporters of the family’s tireless pursuit of truth and justice, I welcome today’s announcement, while anxiously awaiting more details from the British government on how they intend to proceed with this case going forward. The words today from the Secretary of State were long overdue, but people on both sides of the Atlantic are now waiting to see what’s actually delivered.
“As Co-Chairman of the bipartisan Friends of Ireland Caucus in the United States Congress I have been a steadfast supporter of the Finucane family for more than three decades. I am hopeful that today’s announcement begins a process of long overdue vindication as it did for the Bloody Sunday families, the Guildford Four, and the Birmingham Six, who were all wrongly accused of crimes they did not commit, or worse. In 2002, British Prime Minister David Cameron issued a formal state apology to the Bloody Sunday families for the 'unjustified and unjustifiable' killing of fourteen innocent civil rights marchers by British soldiers a half-century ago in their hometown of Derry. As someone who was deeply involved in each of these landmark cases, it is my strong belief that the Finucane family deserves the same sense of forgiveness, exoneration, and vindication from the British government.
“Rest assured, I will continue to be a strong advocate for one of the most admirable, dignified, and determined families I have known during my over four-decade effort to bring peace and justice to the island of Ireland. In my opinion, the Finucanes are entitled to know the truth about who was responsible for what happened in their home that night in 1989 when they lost a young husband and father.”
