Republican News · Thursday 21 February 2002

SDLP judgement questioned

Sinn Féin Council leader Gearoid Ó hÉara has questioned the SDLP's judgement following Mark Durkan's calls for an independent inquiry into the assassination of Pat Finucane.

"Following the Weston Park talks in August last year, the SDLP welcomed the proposal then put forward by the British and Irish governments for the appointment of an international judge to investigate if it were necessary for a full public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane to be established. Sinn Féin opposed this at the time and continues to oppose it. The only action that should be taken is the establishment of a full public judicial inquiry as demanded by the Finucane family for the last 13 years. Sinn Féin is on record as consistently supporting this demand.

"It is disingenuous for the SDLP, and Mark Durkan in particular, to claim that the SDLP have 'long supported a full judicial inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane' at the same time as expressing concern about a proposal that they are on record as supporting, and which is delaying the establishment of that Inquiry.

"Indeed, Alex Attwood is on record as calling on the governments to appoint the international judge to review the Finucane case in November 2001. Now we have Mark Durkan expressing concern at the proposal the SDLP welcomed, concerns Sinn Féin highlighted in August 2001.

"Whilst welcoming the SDLP's belated calls for a full judicial inquiry, it would be remiss of Sinn Féin if we did not also call into question their judgement on this matter."