UN investigator slams RUC and Law Society
Dato Param Cumaraswamy, the UN lawyer investigating intimidation
of lawyers in the Six Counties has called for a full independent
judicial inquiry into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane. The UN
Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers also
raised serious concerns about solicitors ``loss of confidence in
the RUC complaints mechanism and their own association, the Law
Society.''
Pat Finucane, the prominent human rights solicitor was murdered
only weeks after British minister Douglas Hogg had talked about
lawyers in the Six Counties being too close to their `clients'.
Martin Finucane, spokesperson for the Human Rights organisation,
The Pat Finucane Centre in a statement said, ``it's well
documented that the UDA officer [Brian Nelson] who briefed the
killers of Pat Finucane was working for British Intelligence and
that the RUC falsely told John Stalker during his inquiry that
Pat Finucane was a member of the IRA.''
On his 10 day fact finding tour of the Six Counties and England,
the UN lawyer found ``compelling reasons for the inquiry'' and said
the murder ``brought home a chilling effect on the independence of
lawyers.'' In his ``preliminary observations'' Mr Cumaraswamy went
on to say ``that suspicion, that doubt [of security force
involvement] has not been allayed.''
Mr Cumaraswamy visited Castlereagh and Gough barracks, met with
Ronnie Flanagan, Lord Chief Justice Carswell, the Bar Council,
Law Society, the CAJ, and police and prision authorities, and
about 17 lawyers who worked on ``politically sensitive cases.'' He
praised their courage but complained that due to their loss of
faith in the RUC and Law Society complaints mechanisms, there had
not been sufficient documentation of their harassment. He also
criticised the Law Sociey for not doing enough to protect its
members.
Despite the lack documentation, Mr Cumaraswamy said the UN had
recieved several reports in the last few years into the
harassment and intimidation of lawyers by the RUC. He also said
that once the RUC had been informed of the situation via
international bodies the RUC ``should have realised there was
serious concern and done something to stop this serious problem.''
Sinn Féin Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin welcomed the inquiry
call and said, ``collusion exists at every level within the RUC,
DPP, and the judiciary. The case of Pat Finucane best exposes
this and is further confirmed by these recommendations.'' He was
also glad that Mr Cumaraswamy had the opportunity to hear first
hand, ``the type of threats, intimidation and duress'' that
solicitors had to work under.
The final UN report is due out early in the New Year.
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