USA Steps Up To Support Finucanes
With the final decision of the British Government on holding a public inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane coming today, twenty-five Members of Congress, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, and The Brehon Law Society have all announced their support for the Finucane family and their call for an inquiry. The issue has united Democrats and Republicans in Congress and a letter co-authored by Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) and Rep Chris Smith (R-NJ) was sent to Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week. The letter was also signed by the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee Rep. Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY). The twenty-five members of Congress join the Taoiseach, the Foreign Affairs Minister, all the parties in the South, and the majority of parties in the North in calling on the British Government to hold the public inquiry. Speaking on the floor of the Dáil last week, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said, "The Finucane family have spoken truth to power for 30 years. They haven't been and they will not be silenced. Their questions deserve answers and their questions will not go away. The British Government must ensure that the truth is told." Mary Lou McDonald had previously written to Boris Johnson urging him to "fulfill Britain's international human rights obligations and hold a public inquiry."
There has been an outstanding commitment on the British Government to hold a full public inquiry into the 1989 killing by their agents. It is now time to honor that commitment. Sinn Féin MP John Finucane gave powerful testimony to the Good Friday Agreement Committee in the Irish Parliament this week saying "we know who pulled the trigger, we now need to know who pulled the strings." Watch the video below.