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Fr. McManus and Geraldine Finucane. Washington, D.C. 2019.

Thursday, September 12, 2023.

IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

Distributed to Congress by Irish National Caucus

After 35 years of cover-ups, it’s finally time for the truth

Connla Young. Irish News. Belfast. Thursday, September 12, 2024

The widow of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane has said it is “time for truth” after the British government confirmed there is to be an independent public inquiry into his death.

Geraldine Finucane was speaking after Secretary of State Hilary Benn said the Labor government had taken the “exceptional” decision to hold an independent probe.

Mr. Finucane (39) was shot dead in front of his wife and three children by the UDA/UFF at his family home in north Belfast in February 1989.

In 2012 former prime minister David Cameron apologized after a report by Desmond de Silva found there was collusion in the case.

Since his murder, Mr. Finucane’s family has fought for an independent public inquiry to uncover the scale of security force collusion in the attack, which is one of the most notorious killings carried out during the Troubles.

In 2019 the UK Supreme Court ruled that investigations into the murder have not been effective and fell short of international human rights standards.

In July this year, the Court of Appeal in Belfast gave the London government three weeks to confirm how it would carry out an investigation into the killing that was compliant with Article Two of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to life.

Just last week the court extended the timeline by three weeks.

Mr. Finucane’s widow Geraldine and other family members, including his son John Finucane, who is a Sinn Féin MP for North Belfast, met with Mr. Benn on Tuesday.

Mrs. Finucane last night said, “An independent, statutory public inquiry is and was the only way to bring the whole truth behind the murder of Pat Finucane into the light of day.”

“If a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane can finally publicly examine all of the collusion that plagued our society for so many years, then there is hope that the real process of healing can begin,” she said.

She said it is “high time” her husband’s case was “properly investigated, publicly examined, and finally resolved”.

“I believe that my family deserve this after so many years,” she said.

“Pat Finucane deserves this after so many years. Society as a whole deserves this, after so many years.

“After 35 years of cover-ups, it is time for truth.”

Speaking at the dispatch box at Westminster yesterday, Mr. Benn outlined the background to the Finucane case and said the British government “takes its human rights obligations – and its responsibilities to victims and survivors of the Troubles – extremely seriously”.

“And the plain fact is that two decades on, the commitment made by the government – first in an agreement with the Irish government, and then to this House – to establish an inquiry into the death of Mr. Finucane remains unfulfilled,” he said.

“It is for this exceptional reason that I have decided to establish an independent inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane under the 2005 Inquiries Act.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris welcomed the decision.

“This is the beginning of a process and it will be important that, as details are confirmed, there is confidence that it can meet the standards and independence thresholds essential to an inquiry of this nature,” he said.

“I want to acknowledge the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Secretary of State Hilary Benn in coming to this decision.”

Sinn Féin first minister Michelle O’Neill paid tribute to the Finucanes.

“The Finucane family’s determination and dignity throughout 35 years of the most difficult of campaigning has brought about this landmark day,” she posted on X.

“Their campaign has been an inspiration to all families struggling for truth and justice.

“I will continue to support the Finucane family as they continue on their journey towards truth and justice for Pat.”

South Belfast MP Claire Hanna, who is expected to be confirmed as the SDLP’s next leader next month, said the murder “remains one of the most devastating killings of the troubles and is marred in collusion.”

“Today is about the tenacity of the Finucane family, including my constituency neighbor John, but has resonance for all those involved with the legacy process – the needs of victims and survivors must take precedence over the needs of victim makers, who wish the past to remain covered up,” she said.

Alliance MLA and Policing Board member Nuala McAllister said: “A public inquiry was always necessary in this case, given the serious public interest issues involved and the UK government’s acceptance that collusion played a part.”

Paul O’Connor from the Pat Finucane Centre said the inquiry “is the only mechanism that can provide for the type of inquiry necessary when state agents murder citizens.”

Lawyer Kevin Winters added: “The perseverance of the Finucane family chimes with legal lessons in perseverance I learned from Pat before the state took him out.”

END.

Why the silence from Catholic and Protestant Churches over vile chant?

Fr. Sean McManus. Letters to Editor. Irish News. Belfast. Thursday, September 12, 2024.

My letter in The Irish News – ‘Christian Churches should reject vile Satanic attacks’ (August 30) – generated a huge response to me personally, via emails, social media, and phone calls. A common refrain in the responses is that it is such a pity that I am the only one speaking out. Speaking out against the bone-chilling, deeply disturbing, truly frightening reported chant at the Coleraine FC social club – ‘F*** the Virgin Mary.’ I shudder even having to reference it.

That is why I call it Satanic because I cannot believe ordinary Protestants could possibly scream such an anti-God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), anti-Jesus, Son of God and son of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What would Jesus think of that chant? A chant that, in effect, rejects sacred scripture’s revelation of God’s plan of salvation through the incarnation of His son, born of the Blessed Virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. A chant presumably by those who would see themselves as good, loyal Protestants. Mother of God, how demonic is that?

“The silence of politicians in Ireland is one thing. But why are Catholic bishops silent? In particular, why are Protestant bishops, moderators, pastors, etc. silent? And what about the Orange Order that describes itself as Protestant and faithful to the Holy Scripture?

The founder of Protestantism, Martin Luther, would be outraged, shocked and ashamed. And he would not have been silent.

And, this brings me back to the “common refrain” in the responses I received – that no one else is speaking up. Well, Blessed Martin Luther King, Jr. had a saying about that: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

The silence of politicians in Ireland is one thing. But why are Catholic bishops silent? In particular, why are Protestant bishops, moderators, pastors,  etc. silent? And what about the Orange Order that describes itself as Protestant and faithful to the Holy Scripture? Why is it silent?

I realize that, sadly, there is a long history to all of this appalling disrespect for the mother of our Most Holy Redeemer – that as long as it insults and demeans Catholics (in all of Ireland and since partition in Northern Ireland), some unionists/loyalists/ Protestants feel free to use any sacrilegious/blasphemous obscenity that works, while regarding themselves as loyal Protestants.

But how deplorable it is to have to still witness it 30 years after the end of the Troubles?

One response I received is from a former political prisoner who said my letter in The Irish News reminded him of when he was arrested in the north many years ago. He was interrogated by a top Special Branch detective (not a drunken, chanting loyalist), who immediately got in his face and said: “Do you think the f****** Virgin Mary is going to come down and save you?”

Whence this deeply entrenched evil? And whence the silence?

As Edmund Burke said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.”

Wednesday, September 11, 2024.

IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

Distributed to Congress by Irish National Caucus

“More growing concern about the Legacy Act of the ‘King-in-Parliament’ (the formal, official British phrase describing the British legislature, composed of the Sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons). Members of Congress will find the Irish News Editorial of great interest.” —Fr. Sean McManus.

Concern at the slow start to legacy commission’s activities

Irish News Editorial. Belfast, September 11, 2024

THE Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) is the most recent of a long line of attempts to address the hugely sensitive and complex subject of legacy issues since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Every other related initiative has encountered serious and predictable difficulties, and it is clear that the ICRIR, established under the former Conservative government’s deeply contentious Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act of 2023, is going to be no different.

However, even with the limited expectations that surrounded the latest venture, it can only be a matter of considerable concern that the new commission has had such a distinctly slow start to its activities.

It could theoretically examine an enormous number of cases from the course of the Troubles, but, since May, it has received just 85 inquiries, and it has also emerged that it has officially accepted only eight of them for investigation to date. Given that the ICRIR has the authority to look into an appalling archive of dreadful incidents, which left almost 4,000 people dead and some 40,000 injured, there has plainly been a lack of momentum to the launch of its task.

The commission’s decision to release its ‘Accountability Update’ on a Sunday evening, with very limited details about the matters which it is pursuing, has also been widely noted and is unlikely to increase confidence in the wider process.

It is still early days, and the ICRIR’s chairman, the former lord chief justice, Sir Declan Morgan, has stressed what he views as the independence of the organization and the need for it to maintain a completely thorough approach at all times. The commission has also spoken of its “unprecedented powers” to compel individuals and organizations to provide it with the information it requires to conduct investigations, so its progress will be closely monitored.

Any intervention over legacy must have credibility. Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who certainly does not have a track record of rushing into criticism of public bodies, has already expressed his doubts about the ICRIR.

He said at the weekend that it required “root and branch reform”, while another respected voice, former police ombudsman Baroness Nuala O’Loan, has gone further and bluntly suggested that it should be scrapped.

A decision on the commission ultimately lies with Secretary of State Hilary Benn, who has so far maintained the unusual position of insisting that it will be left in place while the 2023 Legacy Act which created it will be repealed.

There will be a firm onus on Mr. Benn both to indicate a timetable for the removal of the flawed legislation and to clarify the changes that are to be made to the ICRIR.

Wednesday, September 11, 2024.

IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

Distributed to Congress by Irish National Caucus

“Members of Congress will find this article in Irish News of Belfast a very useful update, by a very respected journalist. The Legacy Act of the King-in-Parliament is all about protecting, well, the King-in-Parliament … nothing new in that. Protecting and covering-up for the King (Crown/Monarch)-Parliament has always been England’s interest. (In the Cromwell  period, there was no monarchy, but under that genocidal maniac, things were hardly better.)” —Fr. Sean McManus.

Legacy body takes on eight cases in first four months

Connla Young. Security Correspondent. Irish News. Belfast. Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

A contentious legacy investigation body has taken on just eight cases in its first four months.

The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery was set up under the British government’s Legacy Act and became operational in May.

It was established under the Conservative Party’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which ended all inquests and civil cases, as well as introducing conditional immunity.

The chief commissioner is former lord chief justice Sir Declan Morgan, while former senior police officer Peter Sheridan heads investigations. Many victims and relatives of those who died during the Troubles are strongly opposed to the ICRIR, believing it to be part of British government attempts to protect state participants from accountability.

The Labour Party has said it intends to repeal and replace the Legacy Act, although the ICRIR will be retained.

In its first ‘accountability update’ the commission has confirmed that to date 10 requests for investigations have been formally made, of which eight have been accepted.

These include an investigation into the IRA’s Guildford pub bombings in October 1974, which resulted in the deaths of four British soldiers and a civilian.

A spokeswoman for the ICRIR did not provide a full list of the requests for investigation accepted when asked, saying “the commission website will contain high-level information about the cases being taken forward, but the level of detail provided about any investigation will be limited according to the circumstances”.

It is known that the family of IRA member Seamus Bradley, who was shot by British army in Derry in 1972, has engaged with the body.

The new body has also confirmed that since it was set up it has received 85 enquiries from members of the public.

The recent update also confirmed that as of August 31, the commission has employed 86 staff members, including members of the PSNI, Police Ombudsman’s Office and Operation Kenova.

The ICRIR did not respond directly when asked how many of its employees are former members of the RUC, PSNI or both.

A spokeswoman said the commission “has recruited people from a diverse range of investigative backgrounds including, the office of the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland, Kenova, police forces across the UK and people from other sectors such as HMRC and journalism”.

“Thorough background checks and declarations of interest are reviewed and assessed before any appointment the commission makes,” she added. She said before an investigator is assigned a case “they are required to certify that they do not have any conflicts of interest”.

In June a drive to recruit “intelligence officers” with knowledge of “Northern Ireland Terrorism” was branded a “spookfest” by Relatives for Justice.

Under a heading of “staff composition”, the new commission provided a gender and ethnicity breakdown but did not provide figures for community or religious breakdown.

When asked to provide a breakdown, a spokeswoman said the commission “is working alongside the Equalities Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) to put in place appropriate systems to collect detailed equalities information about staff across the commission” and these will be published in the year.

The Accountability Update was made public shortly after 8 pm on Sunday.

Sir Declan said his organization is moving into a new phase.

“We are now at a stage where people have come forward and put their trust in the commission to take their requests forward. We will now do so in line with our values and core principles,” he said.

“We are moving into the next phase of our work as the serious and important task of investigation begins.

Mr Sheridan said that “many of the individuals and families that the Commission will meet will have experienced harm and suffering and may have waited many years to find out more about what they and their loved ones went through.

“We recognise the seriousness of the work that we are undertaking and understand that how we do things is as important as what we do,” he added.

Daniel Holder, from the Committee on the Administration of Justice, said: “These figures show that the ICRIR being set up has led to legacy investigations grinding to a halt.

“Four months in the ICRIR has only eight cases.

“Compare this to the hundreds being dealt with by the Police Ombudsman, Inquests, civil litigation, and police teams that have all been shut down by the Legacy Act.”

Mr Holder also criticized the manner in which the Accountability Update was released.

“The low numbers explain why the ICRIR has … only sipped them out on a Sunday evening with a focus on the number of inquiries and not cases,” he said.

AFL-CIO AND WORLD PEACE PRIZE—IRISH PEACE FOUNDATION/IRISH NATIONAL CAUCUS

By Fr. Sean McManus

In February 1975, the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO invited me to Bal Harbour, Florida,  to brief them on the Irish issue. The Executive Council on that same day endorsed the Irish National Caucus. President Meany delegated Lane Kirkland, Secretary-Treasurer, to announce the endorsement at a Caucus luncheon hosted by Labor Leaders and attended by a couple of hundred labor leaders.

Then about ten years later, the Executive Council invited me to brief them in Bal Harbour on the MacBride Principles—a corporate code of conduct for American companies doing business in Northern Ireland.

The AFL-CIO became the first significant group to endorse the Mac Bride Principles.

So, I have known every President of the AFL-CIO since George Meany to Liz Shuler.

Indeed, when we honored Ms. Esther Lopez, International Secretary-Treasurer, UFCW, with a World Peace Prize at the AFL-CIO Headquarters, February 5, 2019, then Secretary-Treasurer Shuler asked us if she could speak at our Presentation Ceremony. Of course, we were delighted and honored to accommodate her. She stated: “Thank you, Barbara Flaherty, for the kind introduction. I also want to thank Father Sean McManus for his leadership and vision, as well as Reverend Dr. Han Min Su and the entire World Peace Prize Awarding Council for everything they do to build a better world. There is a crystal-clear connection between the labor movement and peace and justice in our world.”

International President Perrone and his top team praised our honoring of Ms. Lopez in this Ad in the Honorific Journal:

“The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) proudly supports the Irish National Caucus World Peace Prize.

We salute this year’s World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership recipients, including our very own UFCW International Secretary-Treasurer Esther R. Lopez for their contribution to world peace through seeking solidarity, equality, and justice for all working men and women.”

And, President Shuler made the following statement welcoming our re-naming of the Prize to the “Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity,” said: “Rich Trumka’s contributions to peace and prosperity around the world were countless. He was a global ambassador for worker rights, economic justice, dignity, and respect for all human beings. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor.” (November 8, 2021).

And, when we honored President Trumka himself with the World Peace Prize of  “Roving Ambassador for Peace” —(his inaugural and formal launching of the World Peace Prize throughout the AFL-CIO/American Organized Labor), he said: “I know that Father McManus has moved the needle [on solidarity, justice, and peace in Ireland], and Father, for that I offer you, on behalf of the entire AFL-CIO, a sincere Thank you.” —President Richard L. Trumka, AFL-CIO, February 3, 2016.’

And, President Trumka also later stated:

“I want to thank Barbara Flaherty, Fr. McManus, and the World Peace Prize Awarding Council for recognizing the nexus between Organized Labor and peace. Too many times in the past we were not looked at as being part of the peace process. So, I really appreciate the World Peace Prize Awarding Council recognizing the connection between fighting for social justice and peace.”

—President Richard L. Trumka, AFL-CIO in his acceptance address on receiving the World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership at AFL-CIO Headquarters in Washington, DC. June 19, 2018. (To review President Trumka’s acceptance speech, go to vimeo.com/275953504)

TRUMKA FAMILY ENDORSEMENT AND PRAISE

The re-naming of the Prize has been warmly welcomed by the Trumka Family: “We are honored that Rich’s name will live on, always linked with solidarity and peace because the World Peace Prize for Solidarity will be re-named in his honor the ‘Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity.'” (October 9, 2021).

And, President Trumka’s son, Rich Jr., stated: “[My father] appreciated that the World Peace Prize saw what so many others missed…that organized labor through solidarity, and the pursuit of justice, forges the path to peace.” (January 5, 2023).

CAPITOL HILL. Monday, March 20, 2023.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The World Peace Prize has announced that South Carolina State President, AFL-CIO, Charles Brave, Jr., is a Laureate of the “Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity.”

The Presentation Ceremony will take place from 2:30 to 4:30 PM, May 11, 2023, in the AFL-CIO Headquarters, 2999 Sunset Blvd. Suite 103, West Columbia, SC 29169. 

President Brave’s office will issue the invitations to this free event—not a fundraiser.

The announcement was made by Fr. Sean McManus, Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize and President of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus/Irish Peace Foundation.

Fr. McManus explained: “The late, great President Trumka, God rest him, on February 3, 2016, at his AFL-CIO Headquarters, helped us to launch the World Peace Prize throughout American Organized Labor. In his memory, we re-named the World Peace Prize for Solidarity the: “Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity.”

There was wide and warm welcome for the re-naming of the prize.

Organized Labor as “Organized Love of Neighbor” because “Love of Neighbor” means, in effect, the doing of social justice on this earth: “The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress.”— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1965 Address to Illinois AFL-CIO.

President Trumka deeply appreciated and enthusiastically supported our linking Organized Labor to the World Peace Prize and that is now an important part of his legacy. View his own 3-minute statement— https://drive.google.com/file/d/13ZF5S61DVCS7Cuey4YAl3Dn6kA0ztr3C/view

And President Trumka’s son, Rich Jr., has stated:'[My father] appreciated that the World Peace Prize saw what so many others missed…that organized labor through solidarity, and the pursuit of justice, forges the path to peace.’ (January 5, 2023). 

President Trumka also greatly welcomed our policy of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our selection of World Peace Prize Laureates.

I have the honor of being the Chief Judge of the World Peace Prize, which is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It was founded in 1989 by the late Presbyterian Minister, Rev. Dr. Han Min Su. Its Awarding Council of international and inter-faith Judges are representatives of all nine major world religious groups.

 I was pleased to propose President Brave because he is a true trailblazer—being the first Black person to ever be a State President of the massive AFL-CIO. And now he is the first State AFL-CIO President to be announced a Laureate of the Richard L. Trumka World Peace Prize for Solidarity—and I know President Trumka is smiling down on that. Furthermore, it’s one thing to be a Union Leader in a strong Labor Union State, and another thing to be a Union Leader in a State like South Carolina where Union membership rates are the lowest in the entire United States. That takes admirable steadfastness, dedication, and solidarity. And deserves special commendation.

President Brave —like the beloved President Trumka, AFL-CIO — has shown a lifelong commitment to the Union, and to solidarity, social justice, and peace. And social justice is the heart and soul of peace, and of the World Peace Prize.

Since I became the Chief Judge in 2013, we have made social justice front and center—the heart and soul— of the World Peace Prize. And, also, we have placed American Organized Labor in the category of those who should be considered worthy recipients of the World Peace Prize—because Labor leaders who spend their lives fighting for social justice for working women and men are also building peace locally, nationally, and worldwide.

And the wonderful thing about placing social justice at the heart and center of peace is this: People of faith believe that faith must be the faith that does justice on this earth (otherwise, it is not faith). And people of no faith, but of goodwill, also know they have to do justice (otherwise, they are not of goodwill).

Furthermore, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us that peace is the fruit of justice; and Saint Pope John Paul II taught us, “peace is the fruit of solidarity.”  

President Brave said:” I am honored and humbled by this precious and blessed Prize, which I accept on behalf of the South Carolina AFL-CIO. To receive a World Peace Prize re-named in honor of the great and beloved President Trumka —and, moreover, a Prize for solidarity—is something that no true Labor person could receive without feeling overwhelmed. I am profoundly grateful.”

END.