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JUNE 2003
BIRW FINUCANE REPORT PRESENTED TO NELSON MANDELA
On 20th June I had the tremendous honour of being present when Nelson Mandela was presented with an honorary doctorate by the National University of Ireland at Galway, and then attending the truly memorable tribute dinner afterwards. It is an evening I will always treasure. Also present were members of the family of murdered Belfast solicitor Patrick Finucane. BIRW prepared a briefing on his case for Mr Mandela, which was given to Cyril Ramaphosa for safe delivery. The Finucane family are asking Mr Mandela to intercede with the British government to bring about a speedy and effective public inquiry into his murder. Very many thanks to our good friend Jerry Dunfey and to our patron Professor Kader Asmal MP for their help, and to Dr Iognáid G. Ó Muircheartaigh, president of NUI Galway, for his gracious hospitality.
THE DISAPPEARED
On 9th June I met the families of Jean McConville and Brendan Megraw, two of “the Disappeared” – people murdered and secretly buried by the IRA. We are helping them to obtain information about the police investigations into the deaths of their loved ones and about the searches for their bodies conducted by the Irish police, An Garda Síochána.
TRIAL OF MICHAEL MCKEVITT
We and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties are sending an independent observer to monitor the trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, which began in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin this month. Much of the evidence against him hinges on the information of a paid informer. We are also concerned that there has been so much adverse publicity in the media concerning Michael McKevitt that it will be difficult for him to obtain a fair trial. He is accused of directing terrorism.
BILLY WRIGHT
We have written to Hugh Orde, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, asking him to meet David Wright, father of the loyalist leader Billy Wright, who was murdered in the Maze prison in 1997. Police obstruction of David Wright’s attempts to ascertain the truth about his son’s death is seriously undermining respect for the rule of law within certain sections of Northern Ireland society.
liam clarke and kathryn johnstone
The question of whether these two journalists are to be charged with any offence following their arrests for publishing the transcripts of Sinn Féin leader Martin McGuinness’s bugged telephone calls remains unresolved. Since the Chief Constable refused to answer any of our many questions about these arrests, we took the matter up with the Policing Board. So far, their response has been supine. We have written to them enquiring in what circumstances they would take seriously their role of holding the Chief Constable to account, if this unwarranted arrest of two journalists does not qualify.
DAVID McILWAINE
On 9th June May I accompanied Paul McIlwaine to a meeting in Belfast with a representative of the Irish government. Paul McIlwaine’s 18 year old son David was brutally murdered by loyalists in February 2000. The crime remains unsolved. A report about the case is available on our website. Following the meeting we wrote to the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs seeking a meeting.
colin worton
On the same day I also met an Irish government representative with Colin Worton, a former UDR soldier who is trying to clear his name of the murder of Catholic Adrian Carroll in 1983. His case also features on our website. A meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been sought in his case as well.
JOHN TORNEY
This month we sent a submission to the Police Ombudsman concerning certain aspects of the police investigation into the deaths of former RUC officer John Torney’s wife and two children. Unfortunately, she declined to investigate. John Torney continues to maintain his innocence of the murder of his entire family.
EVALUATING THE BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY
On 25th June I met Eamonn McCann, Chair of the Bloody Sunday Trust, and Mickey McKinney, one of the two Family Liaison Workers appointed to support the victims throughout the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, to discuss plans for evaluating both the family liaison role, which to the best of our knowledge is unique, and the Inquiry as a whole.
BIRW GOES SECURE
Recently we have taken measure to improve both the physical security of our office and the electronic security of our computers. Grateful thanks to The Atlantic Philanthropies for encouraging us to audit our security and for their financial support.
WELCOME TO JANA
Welcome to our summer intern, Jana Rumminger, who is helping us with our research into conflict-related deaths since the ceasefires.
winter holidays
I will be on leave from 4th to 21st July inclusive. Elizabeth Folarin will be holding the fort in my absence.
Jane Winter,
Director,
30th June 2003.
For Peace Justice & Human Rights
