Pat Finucane and why we need to inquire

David Cameron's decision not to hold a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane will prove to be a further divisive issue in the conflict about the conflict in and about Northern Ireland.

Similar to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, a lot of attention is being paid to what the family want and how acceptable any measures proposed are. While this attention is not entirely misplaced, it ignores or at least distracts from the societal issues that are at stake. The impact on the family was extreme, but what the circumstances and subsequent considerations (Cory, Stalker/Sampson etc) indicate is of concern to everyone in the UK and perhaps even beyond.

The reasons for finding out what happened do not only include identifying any wrong doing and bringing those responsible to justice, but also identifying why the institutions failed to recognize that wrong doing took place and failed to establish necessary processes for reform that would minimize the possibility of something similar happening again.

The Patten Commission recommended far reaching institutional reform of the PSNI without acknowledging that such reform was necessary. The problems were assumed, rather than identified and agreed. Without this understanding, how can we state with confidence that the current institutions have addressed them satisfactorily. Staff members whose alleged transgressions have gone unrecorded are then free to progress in these institutions, perhaps continuing in the belief that abuse of powers will go unpunished.

For both individuals and institutions a culture of untouchability can then develop, as the independent judicial process and other accountability checks become irrelevant. This culture might well be identified in the recent furore surrounding the former Defence Secretary Liam Fox.

It is essential that all understand that rules are enforced, especially those that believe that they are on the side of righteousness. The law is the law regardless of what side you are on and individuals and institutions breaking it should be brought to justice, and reformed or removed. UK government could then be an example for others who would also benefit from internal scrutiny.