IN THE attending publicity surrounding the publishing of 'Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland' (researched by staff and volunteers of the Pat Finucane Centre) there has been some comment on the work of the centre itself.
In several reviews and articles, including one in The Irish News, writers have referred to the Pat Finucane Centre as "a republican victims group".
While there is nothing at all wrong with being 'a republican victims group', my experience is that the PFC seeks to assist and advocate on behalf of any person seeking to find the truth about the nature of their relative's murder, irrespective of religion or political belief. My family has been able to avail of the centre's assistance in discovering the truth about how and why my father, Denis Mullen, a branch chairman and electoral agent for the SDLP, was shot dead in September 1975.
Following in his footsteps, I am a long-standing member of the SDLP.
To my knowledge, this has never been an issue for me or for anyone else working with the PFC.
During the conflict, loyalists and British soldiers would often try and exculpate themselves by using the lame excuse that the Catholic/nationalist person they had just killed was 'a republican'. Writers should avoid the same facile assumption and be sure not to fall into the same trap. Killing anyone, republican or otherwise, is never justifiable.
Many families for whom the PFC advocates have different allegiances or none. The only factor the PFC takes into account when responding to requests for help is need.
Denise Mullen-Fox
Dungannon, Co Tyrone
