Thu Sep 12 06:06:43 UTC 2024: ## Finucane Family Denies Preferential Treatment in Public Inquiry Decision
John Finucane, Sinn Féin MP and son of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane, has rejected claims that his family received preferential treatment in the decision to grant a public inquiry into his father’s 1989 killing.
Finucane’s statement comes in response to criticism from unionist politicians who question why the Finucane family secured a potentially expensive inquiry while hundreds of other families bereaved during the Troubles have been denied similar investigations.
Finucane argues that the family’s experience over the past 35 years, including accusations of collusion between the state and loyalist paramilitaries in his father’s murder, has been far from preferential. He highlights the family’s struggle for justice, including fighting legal battles both domestically and internationally, and the “painful” journey of seeking answers.
The MP emphasizes that the public inquiry was granted after a 20-year commitment from the British government, following a recommendation by a judge of international standing. He also criticizes the British government’s failure to fulfill a similar commitment in his father’s case.
The Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW) has joined the call for equality in addressing legacy cases, advocating for the same thoroughness and attention to detail in investigations by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) as those received by the Finucane family through the public inquiry.
Finucane concludes by expressing his family’s unwavering support for other bereaved relatives seeking truth and justice. He emphasizes that their fight for justice is not about preferential treatment but a broader commitment to ensuring truth and justice for all victims of the Troubles.
First Piper 