January 21, 2004 Coming Clean on Collusion
by Suzanne Breen, the News Letter

Openness. Honesty. Compassion. The British government's reputation is at stake and not just over Iraq and Dr David Kelly.

Alleged collusion between the State and our paramilitaries mightn't be as big an international story but it's equally important.

By not publishing the Cory report and swiftly setting up public inquiries into the Finucane, Wright, Hamill and Nelson murders, the government looks like it's running scared.

Three months after receiving the dossier, it's still awaiting "legal advice". Does Downing Street not have enough money for decent lawyers? Tony and Cherie are both barristers. Couldn't they get some of their mates to help out?

The government says it must tread carefully because of legal proceedings in the Finucane and Hamill cases.

The Finucanes have long claimed the endless drip of single prosecutions is deliberately designed to delay a public investigation. At this rate, Pat Finucane's great-grandchildren will have qualified as lawyers and be on tv demanding the inquiry.

The level of corruption down South is huge. It's a brown envelope state. There has been no shortage of Garda and legal abuses. But at least Dublin quickly announced an inquiry into alleged collusion in the killing of two RUC officers.

By contacting the Finucanes, Wrights, Hamills and Nelsons directly, Peter Cory has shown integrity and independence - qualities too often lacking in our legal system.

The government obviously believed a 77-year-old retired judge with a military background would be a "safe pair of hands". Thankfully, he has proved not averse to rocking a few boats. That's one appointment the Prime Minister must regret.

Mark Durkan is writing to the White House, urging it to use its influence with Blair who "cannot be allowed to bury the truth". It's a bit like asking Rio Ferdinand to lobby footballers on complying with drug tests.

Not that unionist politicians have been inspiring on Cory. They've welcomed the recommendation to investigate Wright's death but have remained silent on the three others.

They're completely correct on Wright. A series of "coincidences" leading up to his murder - involving broken security cameras, absent prison officers, and wandering visit lists - demand investigation.

But it's small-minded and sectarian to call for an inquiry for the LVF leader's murder and not for two nationalist solicitors and a Catholic civilian.

They might say that's because Wright was killed in jail. But who believes if an IRA prisoner was shot dead, they would support a public inquiry into that?

Unlike their political representatives, the Wright family has been more magnanimous and backed an investigation into all the cases. Unionist politicians have missed a vital opportunity - to show they're capable of far more decency than Tony Blair.