Rights groups express concern

Human rights bodies and the father of murdered LVF leader Billy Wright reacted with concern to the inquiry announcements

Human rights bodies and the father of murdered LVF leader Billy Wright reacted with concern to the inquiry announcements. Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor, reports.

Mr David Wright welcomed yesterday's development, which comes 13 months after Judge Cory's reports were given to the British government, but said he still had concerns.

"'It would be inappropriate for me to comment at length until I have studied the inquiries' terms of reference and read appointees' CVs," he said.

"However, I remain concerned at the British government's input into this inquiry. They stand indicted in the murder of Billy Wright yet they have appointed the judge, agreed the terms of reference and excluded my family from the process. Where is the independence in that?"

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Mr Wright is to give a considered response to the British government next week and has requested a meeting with the chairman of the inquiry into his son's murder.

The was no immediate public response last night from the families of Ms Rosemary Nelson or Mr Robert Hamill. But The Irish Times understands they too have similar concerns to Mr Wright. They are consulting legal advice and are seeking clarification regarding inquiry details.

The Committee on the Administration of Justice, a human rights watchdog, also expressed concern. Speaking from New York last night, Ms Maggie Beirne said her organisation "was quite concerned that the Northern Ireland Office has promised the families they would meet the chair of the relevant inquiry" but that this had not happened.

Ms Jane Winter of British-Irish Rights Watch also questioned the announcement. "The terms of reference are not as good as they should be," she said. The delays involved since Judge Cory completed his reports were alarming.

One source questioned the timing of the announcement which was made without consultation with the families, and referred to the British government's appearance yesterday before a UN inquiry in Geneva.

Sinn Féin's Mr Gerry Kelly said: "The British government needs to deliver on these inquiries. We must also see the terms of reference into an inquiry into Pat Finucane's death published immediately."

He added: "The announcement that Michael Morland will be chairing the Rosemary Nelson inquiry will not inspire confidence given his involvement acting for the Crown in internment without trial cases in 1973. Mr Morland was also involved in 1976 with the Gardiner commission which removed special category status for prisoners and introduced the criminalisation policy."

The SDLP's Mr Alex Attwood said the British government should have had included an international element in all the inquiries. It was worrying that all of the members of the Nelson inquiry had been "servants of the state" and that one was " involved in a government-appointed review that favoured emergency laws".