[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 17, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E863]]
   CALLING ON GOVERNMENT OF UNITED KINGDOM TO ESTABLISH INQUIRY INTO 
        MURDER OF NORTHERN IRELAND DEFENSE ATTORNEY PAT FINUCANE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2006

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
resolution introduced by my friend from New Jersey, Chris Smith.
  I was proud to join my colleagues as an original cosponsor of this 
important statement by the House of Representatives.
  While the peace process in the north of Ireland has been moving 
along, but unfortunately, not at the pace many of us had hoped for 
after the acceptance of the Good Friday Agreement by all parties, it is 
still moving forward.
  We saw one example of the process moving forward when all the 
political parties of the north met on Monday for the first time since 
the Assembly was suspended 3\1/2\ years ago.
  I believe these political parties must overcome all of the obstacles 
for the sake of the people they were elected to represent in November 
of 2002.
  They must elect new ministers to give the people of the north the 
representational government that they have sought out.
  But beyond the issue of setting up the assembly, one of the important 
things about any peace process is making sure that past atrocities have 
been fully investigated and the people, who committed them be held 
responsible, which is why this resolution is so important for the peace 
process.
  The violence that occurred before and after the signing of the 
historic Good Friday Agreement still remains fresh in the minds of the 
victim's families and the public as a whole.
  To bring about a better trust between the people of the north, the 
British and Irish Governments agreed to hold public inquiries into high 
profile murders of human rights defenders like Pat Finucane.
  It is time for the British to allow the truth to come out.
  The family of Pat Finucane deserves to know the full extent of 
collusion that existed and caused the death of this husband and father.
  The British must live up to their obligations under the Weston Park 
Agreement and the commitment they made if Judge Cory found evidence 
warranting a full independent inquiry.
  It is time for an independent, judicial inquiry into the murder of 
Patrick Finucane.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

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