WHAT WE DID IN 2016! As 2016 draws to a close, The Pat Finucane Centre and Jusce for the Forgoen thought we would sum up our acvies during the year while looking forward to 2017 with determinaon and opmism – nged with realism. We know it can somemes appear that we are going round in circles without geng very far and that, despite the best efforts we make, jointly with the families we support, we don’t get very far. But when you look at some of the events in which we were involved over the past 12 months, we hope you will see what progress is being made, however slowly, towards our shared goal of peace and acknowledgement. 2016 was a year when many families were commemorang significant anniversaries of a loved-one’s death. When families ask us, the PFC/ JFF do all we can to assist in public or private events. We are only menoning here those events that relaves wished us to make publicly. Throughout 2016, we were involved in innumerable meengs to try and push forward the proposals for truth recovery set out in the Stormont House Agreement and “Fresh Start” documents. These efforts have yet to reach resoluon which is a source of connuing great disappointment and frustraon. The following is a short list of the events and acons. Clearly, we are involved in confidenal casework on a daily basis and details of this are not included. Nor have we listed the numerous brief preliminary hearings we have aended in various courts throughout the year. We wish every one of you a peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year. TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS AND TRUTH RECOVERY Unit B8, Ráth Mór Centre Bligh’s Lane, Derry, BT48 0LZ T: 028 71268846 E: [email protected]W: www.patfinucanecentre.org
Transcript
WHAT WE DID IN 2016!As 2016 draws to a close, The Pat Finucane Centre and Justice for the Forgotten thought we would sum up our activities during the year while looking forward to 2017 with determination and optimism – tinged with realism.We know it can sometimes appear that we are going round in circles without getting very far and that, despite the best efforts we make, jointly with the families we support, we don’t get very far.But when you look at some of the events in which we were involved over the past 12 months, we hope you
will see what progress is being made, however slowly, towards our shared goal of peace and acknowledgement.2016 was a year when many families were commemorating significant anniversaries of a loved-one’s death. When families ask us, the PFC/JFF do all we can to assist in public or private events. We are only mentioning here those events that relatives wished us to make publicly. Throughout 2016, we were involved in innumerable meetings to try and push forward the proposals for truth recovery set out in the Stormont House Agreement and “Fresh Start”
documents. These efforts have yet to reach resolution which is a source of continuing great disappointment and frustration.The following is a short list of the events and actions. Clearly, we are involved in confidential casework on a daily basis and details of this are not included. Nor have we listed the numerous brief preliminary hearings we have attended in various courts throughout the year. We wish every one of you a peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS AND TRUTH RECOVERY
Unit B8, Ráth Mór CentreBligh’s Lane, Derry, BT48 0LZT: 028 71268846 E: [email protected]: www.patfinucanecentre.org
WHAT WE DID IN 2016!JANUARY
15 JFF attended reception at Ulster Museum forColinDavidson’sartexhibitionof18victimsoftheconflict: Silent Testimony. One of his subjects isThomasO’Brienwholosthisbrother,sister-in-lawandtwobabyniecesintheDublinandMonaghanbombingsatParnellStreet
19 The PFC and others met the European HumanRights Commissioner, Nils Muiznieks, in Belfast.The Council of Europe Commissioner has beensharplycriticaloftheBritishGovernment’sfailuretoupholdtheirobligationsunderArticle2oftheEuropeanConventiononHumanRightstoresourceandassisteffective,independentinvestigations
20 The Office of the Police Ombudsman met PFCstaffinArmaghtonotifyusthattheyarebeginningtheir investigation into the “Glenanne Series” ofmurders(thelargesteverinquiryconductedbytheoffice)
21 ApreliminaryhearingtookplaceinBelfastoftherenewed inquest into two deaths caused by theexplosionatTheStepInninKeady,on16August1976, in which Elizabeth McDonald and GerardMcGleenanlosttheirlives
25 TheOmbudsmancriticisedhowthePSNIhandledthesuspiciousdisappearanceofDerrymanGerardHampson on 7 December 2007 and how theyrespondedwhenhisbodywasrecoveredamonthlater
26 ArmaghCourthousewas thevenue forahearinginto charges against a British soldier, DennisHutchings, for theattemptedmurderofJohnPatCunningham in 1974. Throughout the year, thePFCattendedcourthearingsintothiscase
27 PFC/JFF met the Minister for Foreign AffairsCharlieFlanaganTDinDublin
29 An inquest began in Belfast into the death ofTommyTrainor,whowas killedby loyalists as hewalked home from signing on in Portadown on8March 1978 (the PFC has justifiable concernsaboutapolicecoverupinthiscase)
FEBRUARY TheLordChiefJusticeSirDermotMorganproposes
amulti-millionpoundplantoresourceoutstandinginquests ordered by the Attorney General JohnLarkin – otherwise they could take decades toprocess
18 FamiliesintheNorthWestattendedmeetingatPFCofficetodiscusstheStormontHouseAgreement.On the same day, the PFC had a meeting withofficialsfromtheDepartmentofForeignAffairs
22 The PFC met the new US consul to Belfast tooutlineourconcernsonlegacy
22 ThePFC responded to thePublicRecordsOfficeconsultationonaccesstoinquestandcourtpapers– our point being that maximum disclosure tofamiliesisessential
23 ThePFC’sAnneCadwalladertookpartinaBelfastconference on UN Resolution 1325 (“Women,PeaceandSecurity”)
MARCH1 DerryfamiliesmetthenewVictimsCommissioner,
JudithThompson
6 40th anniversary of the UVF Castleblayneybombing inwhichPatrickMone losthis lifewithMargaretUrwinofJFFgivingtheoration
11 Attended the launch of People like us in BelfastCastle–abookaboutsomeofthevictimsoftheconflict. Aidan Shields, whose motherwas killedin theDublin andMonaghanbombings atTalbotStreetfeaturesinthebook.
21 The PFC issued a press release questioningwhy theRUC/PSNI and theMinistry ofDefencefailedtoinformthefamilyofUDAmurdervictim,RodneyMcCormick,thatoneofthethreeloyalistsconvictedofthe1980murderhadbeenamemberoftheUDRforthreeyearsinthe1970s
25 JFF members (including Kevin and CatherineO’LoughlinwhosemotherwaskilledintheDublinbombings)tookpartintheannualreadingofnamesofallthosewhodiedintheconflictattheUnitarianChurch,Dublin
Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights to resource and assist effective, independent investigations
02
APRIL5 ArmaghfamiliesmetthenewVictimsCommissioner
atBenburbPriory
10 A PFC delegation visited the Committee ofMinistersinStrasbourgtolobbyforimplementationoftheinstitutionsproposedintheStormontHouseAgreementandarguethatLondonisinbreachoftheEuropeanConventiononHumanRights
18 A plaque was unveiled to commemorate theanniversary of the British Army killing of GaryEnglishandJimBrowninDerryin1981
20 The PFC participated in round-table talks atQueen’sUniversity,BelfastonLondon’sdemandtovetotheonwardpassingofinformationtofamiliesongroundsof“nationalsecurity”
3 Justice for the Forgotten awarded “LordMayor’sAward”at theMansionHouse inDublin forover20yearsofcampaigningforvictimsoftheconflictsouthoftheborder
6 GerryMcGowan, of the “Derry Four” (framed asteenagersbyRUCdetectivesforthemurderofasoldier in Derry in 1979) gave an extensive andharrowinginterviewontheBBC’s“NolanShow”
15 Charlemont, 40th commemoration of the gun-and-bombattackonClancy’s andTheEaglebarsinwhichfourmendied(FredMcLoughlin,RobertMcCullough,SeanO’HaganandVincentClancy)
16 AnumberofNGOsandacademics, including thePFC, met the UN Special Rapporteur on Truth,Justice Reparations and Non-Recurrence, PabloDeGreiff
17 42ndcommemorationoftheDublinandMonaghanbombings – attendees included the Minister forForeignAffairs,CharlieFlanaganandU2membersBonoandAdamClaytonwhile speakers includedAlanMcBridewhosewifeandfather-in-lawwerekilledintheIRA1993ShankillRoadbombing
18 A number of families supported by the PFCattended theBelfastCastle launchof theWAVEstoriesproject“StoriesfromtheSilence”(accessibleontheWAVEwebsite)
20 The PFC’s Sara Duddy spoke at the “StoriesNetwork” seminar about the PFC’s “Recovery ofLivingMemory”project
25 DáilÉireannunanimouslyurgedLondontoreleasepapers on cross-border bombingswith bereavedfamilies listening in the public gallery (the thirdsuchresolutionineightyears)
JUNE3 AdelegationofColombianNGOsvisitedthePFC
todiscusspeaceprocessesandhumanrights.Thesame day, the PFC joined other NGOs to meetlocal political representatives to discuss the longdelaysinagreeingtruthrecovery
6 Some 200 bereaved families signed up to a fullpageadvertinTheGuardiannewspaperinBritainorganised by PFC/JFF. The advert accused theBritish Prime Minister of violating the EuropeanConventiononHumanRightsbecauseofafailuretoestablishmechanismstodealwiththepast.Thetext slammed the British government for hidingbehindalleged“nationalsecurity”concerns
9 The long-awaited report from the PoliceOmbudsman into the LoughinislandMassacre ofJune1994wasreleased.Thereportwasscathingof the role of the RUC and linked the loyalistimportationofSouthAfricanweaponsin1988tothefarmofformerRUCofficerJamesMitchellwhoplayedamajor role in theGlenanneGang in the1970s
14 GlenannefamiliesmetwithheadofOmbudsman’sinquiry into the “Glenanne Series” at BenburbPriory
15 The PFC and Bloody Sunday Trust hosted ameeting in Derry with families bereaved in theOmagh bombing, the Loughinisland Massacre,theHillsboroughtragedyandcampaignersagainstpolice actions at the Orgreave miners’ picket inBritain
16 JFF families met with head of Ombudsman’sinquiryintothe“GlenanneSeries”
28 ThePFCaccompaniedfamiliestoameetingwiththeindependentpoliceteamsetuptoinvestigatethe “Stakeknife” allegations headed by JonBoutcher,ChiefConstableofBedfordshirePolice(furthermeetingsfollowedin2016)
30 “InTheirFootsteps”event(withshoestorepresentdeceased relatives) outside the Royal Courts ofJustice/LagansideCourtsincentralBelfast
30 EventattheRockBar,Granemore,Co.Armagh,tomark the40th anniversary of the gun-and-bombattackonthebarbymembersoftheRUCSpecialPatrolGroup
04
JULY1 Paul O’Connor spoke at the Transitional Justice
21 APFCdelegationmetwithDeputyFirstMinister,MartinMcGuinness,andMLAstodiscusslegacyissues alongwith Relatives for Justice and otherNGOs
25 Theshoesfromthe“InTheirFootsteps”exhibition
were displayed in Guildhall Square in Derry,coinciding with a PFC meeting with the newSecretary of State, James Brokenshire, also inDerry. In addition to legacy issues, the PFC alsoraisedtheon-goingdetentionofDerryrepublicanTonyTaylorwhosebailhasbeenrevoked.Thiscasehasbeendiscussed atvariousmeetingswith theDepartment of Justice and the Northern IrelandOfficeandremainsaseriousconcern.
26 Families bereaved in the Miami ShowbandMassacremettheOmbudsmanforanexploratorymeetinginDublin
26 Human rights campaigners including academics,andthePFCmettodiscusstheimplicationsofthe“Brexit”referendumvoteinBritain
AUGUST5 Margaret Urwin of JFF and the PFC’s Anne
Cadwallader gave a presentation in Newry onBritish government declassified documents oninternment
10 The PFC/JFF gave a presentation in Belfaston declassified British government internmentdocuments as part of Feile anPhobail (theWestBelfastFestival)
23 In a statement to the BBC the PSNI sought todefendtheirhandlingofthe“Derry4”miscarriageofjusticecase.(SeealsoMay6aboveandlinkonPFCwebsite)
SEPTEMBER5 Lord Chief Justice accepted that, in their failure
to allocate resources to inquests ordered by theAttorneyGeneral,politiciansinLondonandBelfastareeffectivelyplacinghiminapositionwhereheisinbreachoftheEuropeanConventiononHumanRights
27 BBC Spotlight broadcast programme on ongoingdelaysinreleasingfundingforlegacyinquests.ThesonofmurderedGAAmanSeanBrownwasoneof the family members interviewed. Preliminaryhearingsinthisinquesthavedraggedonformorethan10years
15,20,21 Belfast,Dublin andDerry launches ofA State in
Denial (Mercier Press) by JFF’s Margaret UrwinwithspeakersDr.BrianFeeney,GeraldineFinucaneandRobertBallagh
27 Derry and Strabane District Council passed amotionofsupportforthe“DerryFour”andurgedtheChiefConstabletoexpeditethelongdelayedinvestigationinthecase(aninvestigationthatthePFCandtheFourbelievetobewhollyunnecessarybutwhichisbeingusedtoholdupdeliveryoftheirfinalPONIReport)
The son of murdered GAA man Sean Brown was one of the family members interviewed. Preliminary hearings in this inquest have dragged on for more than 10 years
11 Newry launch of “A State in Denial” with PFCdirector,PaulO’Connor
15-22 Van circulated around central London asking
“What Price A Life at theMinistry of Defence?”pointing out tiny amounts of compensation paidto victims of state violence in Northern Irelandand challenging the British Prime Minister’scharacterisationoflegalactionhereas“vexatious”(thefamilyofChristopherQuinn,whofeaturedinthecampaign, travelled toLondon for the launchwhichwaswidelyreportedinthepress)
17 A PFC/JFF presentation in Galway onA State inDenialandLethalAllies
19 APFCpresentationto“EuropeanYoungSocialists”studyweekend inBelfast on state collusionwithloyalists
21 IrishNewscarrieddouble-pageblankadfromPFC/JFF slating the British government for its failureto implement the legacyaspectsof theStormontHouseAgreement(therewasapositiveandlivelyreactionfromfamiliesandtheothermedia)
21 Final day in court of the Judicial Review of theHistoricalEnquiriesTeam failure toproduce theirpromised report on collusion in the “GlenanneSeries”
22 The anniversary of themurder of JohnToland in1976wasmarkedwitharticlesintheDerryJournalandBelfastTelegraph
24 PFC/JFF presentation in Shannon on A State inDenialandLethalAllies
26 PFCpresentation to theDublin-based Forum forJusticeandPeaceinPalestineoncampaignagainstinternment in Ireland and parallels with lobbyagainst“administrativedetention”inPalestine
6 At a lecture to commemorate the anniversary ofthe Mc Gurks Bar bombing Michael MansfieldQC called on the Chief Constable to reveal theredacted contents of a military document whichfamily member Ciarán MacArt had uncovered.The hitherto secret document showed that theauthorities had forensic evidence that the bombhad been planted outside the North Belfast pubandwasnotan ‘owngoal’aswasclaimedby theRUC, HQNI and unionist politicians. Parts ofthe declassified document remain redacted andcampaigners aredemanding that thePSNI revealitscontents.15peoplediedintheattack
7 Paul spoke at a seminar inBelfast as part of theHumanRightsFestivalonthethemeoftheHumanRightsActand itseffectontheactionsofBritishsoldiersinvariousconflicts
14 JFF/PFCattendthefinalmeetingthisyearoftheCross Party Oireachtas Committee onVictims inDublin
16 PFC/JFF give a presentation at an event inFermanagh on the anniversary of the loyalistmurderofLouisLeonardinDerrylyn
Mid ThefamilyofamanshotdeadbyBritishsoldiersinBelfast in1972,TedBrady,have revealed thatrecentreportsintohisdeath(whichtheyhadbeendenied access to until recently) had concludedthathewasanunarmedcivilianwalkingalongtheOldparkRdwhenhewas shot.The reports fromthe HET and PSNI LIB both concurred that theversionofeventsasportrayedbytheBritisharmycouldnothavehappenedgiventhediscrepanciesin distances, times and evidence to the contraryfromcivilianwitnesses.PFCcontinuestosupportthefamily
In addition to all of the above, the PFC’s Sara
DuddyrepresentsthePFCinthe“StoriesNetwork”of “Healing Through Remembering” and also the“LegacyGenderIntegrationGroup”
AlanBrecknellattendsthe“VictimsandSurvivorsService Practitioners Group” in the DungannonareawhileSaraDuddydoesthesamefortheNorthWestgroup.
SeanMurray, independent filmmaker, continuedwork on Unquiet Graves – the feature-lengthfilmchroniclingtheeventsinLethalAlliesandtheimpact on families of themurders carriedout bythe Glenanne Gang” (see: www.unquietgraves.com).
