Urgent Appeal for Secretary of State Clinton

IRISH AMERICAN GROUPS APPEAL TO CLINTON; FOLLOWS STATE DEPARTMENT SESSION
ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS, BREHON LAW SOCIETY & IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE
Coalition Press Release on State Dept Meeting of April 24, 2012
May 4, 2012

Denver, Philadelphia & NYC

The State Department recently hosted a free ranging discussion of issues of concern to Irish American groups, and today three of those groups responded with an urgent appeal for Secretary of State Clinton.

National President of the Irish American Unity Conference Thomas J. Burke Jr. stated: “We urge Madame Secretary to review the compelling documentation recently submitted to the Helsinki Commission by the Committee on the Administration of Justice, Relatives for Justice and the Pat Finucane Center and ask if by corrupting the work of the Historical Enquiries Team & the Police Ombudsman, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary) is not violating both the letter and spirit of the Belfast Agreement. “

Seamus Boyle, National President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the nations’ oldest and largest Irish American group, urged the Department not to use an old crutch that they cannot interfere in the internal affairs of another country.

“After decades of that stance and Britain’s endless interference in Ireland including the infamous Dublin-Monaghan bombing, President Clinton tore out that page from the diplomatic playbook. All we seek is for the U. S. to fulfill its own responsibilities under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and not rubber stamp a scurrilous request such as this.”

“Prime Minister Cameron,” stated Robert Dunne, President of the Brehon Law Society, “recently admitted that the same security force making this Treaty request for Boston College records colluded in the killing of lawyer and human rights advocate Patrick Finucane. Surely if the U.S. can give voice to the human rights advocacy of Chen Guangcheng, we can seek accountability and sanction of those who butchered Pat Finucane in front of his family!”

The release of the letter to the Department of State included an appeal for Americans across this nation to contact British consulates protesting the subpoenas of Attorney General Holder.