Organizers of a webinar set for Saturday, May 31 say that Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn’s refusal to comply with court orders directing a public inquiry into the murder of Sean Brown has sparked a new crisis in legacy justice.
Said a statement from organizers, members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians: "The British Secretary was ordered to commence a Public Inquiry into the (May 1997) murder of the Bellaghy Gaelic Association manager after crown agencies, including the PSNI Constabulary and MI5, forced a halt to Sean Brown’s inquest by refusing to hand over crucial materials about the part played by British state agents.
"His daughter, Clare Brown Loughran, will join with Daniel Holder, of the Committee for the Administration of Justice, and an Irish government representative in a live webinar broadcast hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians on Saturday May 31st at 11 a.m. Eastern time, 4 p.m. Irish time, to discuss the Brown case and its meaning for hundreds of other victims’ relatives, who believe they could never get justice through the ICRIR Commission.
"Both the High Court and Belfast Court of Appeals ordered a Public Inquiry, holding that the ICRIR washttps://youtube.com/live/90sNQbE1FyA incapable of providing a hearing that met the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights. Current British Secretary Hilary Benn, has thus far refused to comply with these Court orders and plans to go to the London Supreme Court, in hopes a London Court would favor the ICRIR."
By way of background the release by the webinar organizers states: "Sean Brown was abducted and murdered as he locked up the Bellaghy Wolfe Tone Gaelic Athletic Club on May 12, 1997.
"No one has ever been convicted of this sectarian assassination, in which multiple British agents played a part. The Brown family sought justice through civil suits against both the British Ministry of Defense and Chief Constable, winning damages and a formal Court apology for the RUC’s inadequate investigation. They learned additional details from an Ombudsman Report. All legal attempts to answer questions about collusion have been frustrated by the British.
"More than 25 years after the murder, an Inquest hearing began. However the Coroner was forced to close the Inquest because the British withheld crucial documents about crown agent involvement. The Coroner said that a Public Inquiry would be the only way for the Brown family to get the truth, and made a formal written request to then British Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris."
During the webinar, stated the release, Clare Brown Loughran will speak about the heartbreaking impact of the ongoing denial of justice on the Brown family, especially her mother Bridie Brown, 87, as they continue to fight for truth.
Daniel Holder of the Committee for the Administration of Justice will discuss the defects the ICRIR set up by the then governing Conservative Party but now advocated by the governing Labour Party, and why victims’ families do not believe the commission can deliver justice.
"The Irish government will have a representative to state its position on the Sean Brown case, the status of the European Court case, and where the issue of legacy justice stands."
The webinar can be watched on YouTube https://aoh.com/LegacyCrisis-Watch or https://youtube.com/live/90sNQbE1FyA. Register on Zoom at https://aoh.com/LegacyCrisis-Register or https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ETNRGyvIRNeBeqF6d7Ftkw.
