Fears over NI security forces 'collusion' inquiries
A letter has been sent to Tony Blair urging him to ensure the British government sticks to its commitments on inquiries into three controversial murders in Northern Ireland, it emerged tonight.
Three human rights groups confirmed they had written to the British Prime Minister because of concerns that the Northern Ireland Office was planning to pull back on its pledge to keep the families of leading loyalist Billy Wright, Portadown catholic Robert Hamill and solicitor Rosemary Nelson fully briefed on plans for the forthcoming inquiries into their murders.
The Belfast-based Committee on the Administration of Justice, Amnesty International and British Irish Rights Watch also expressed alarm at the way the government was handling the issue of an inquiry into Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane’s death.
The letter to Downing Street said: “If the inquiries are to effectively probe and lay to rest the allegations of state collusion in these three killings, it is vital that they command the confidence and secure the participation of the families, not only for the sake of the families themselves but also in the wider public interest.
“To that end, it is crucial that the families are content with the terms of reference, the membership and the proposed conduct of the relevant inquiry.
“The Northern Ireland Office has assured the families that they will have an opportunity to meet the chair of the relevant tribunal and discuss the terms of reference, the membership and the proposed arrangements for the conduct of the proceedings before they are finalised.
“However, we have recently received reports that the Northern Ireland Office intends to renege on the above mentioned commitment it made to the families of Robert Hamill, Billy Wright and Rosemary Nelson.
“We urge you to ensure that this be not the case. It is also essential to ensure public confidence in the ability of the inquiries to uncover the truth and finally allay the significant public concern that allegations of state collusion and impunity in these cases.”
The government announced the inquiries after they were recommended in reports on each murder by the retired Canadian judge Peter Cory.
The inquiry into Mr Hamill will investigate claims that members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary failed to intervene when he was attacked by a loyalist mob in Portadown, Co Armagh in 1997.
Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright was gunned down in the Maze Prison during Christmas 1997 and his inquiry is expected to look at major lapses in security.
A tribunal will also look into claims that police threatened the life of solicitor Rosemary Nelson through her client before she was killed in a loyalist car bomb outside her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh in March 1999.
Last week, the government announced an inquiry into the fourth case examined by Judge Cory – the murder in 1989 of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
However human rights groups, nationalist politicians and the Finucane family hit out at the Government for deciding that most of the proceedings would be held in private because of national security issues.
They have demanded a public inquiry to look into allegations of security force collusion into the solicitor’s death and has alleged that other people were murdered because of British army and RUC involvement with loyalists.
