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| IRA armed campaign is over | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 28 2005, 09:05 PM (417 Views) | |
| saver111 | Jul 28 2005, 09:05 PM Post #1 |
PDFF Moderator
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IRA says armed campaign is over The IRA statement said it would pursue a peaceful path The IRA has formally ordered an end to its armed campaign and says it will pursue exclusively peaceful means. In a long-awaited statement, the republican organisation said it would follow a democratic path ending more than 30 years of violence. The IRA made its decision after an internal debate prompted by Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams' call to pursue its goals exclusively through politics. During the NI Troubles, the IRA was blamed for about 1,800 murders. A statement issued on Thursday said that this would take effect from 1600 BST. "All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever. "Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever" Reaction to IRA statement "The IRA leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible." The statement said independent witnesses from Catholic and Protestant churches had been invited to see the decommissioning process. Ulster Unionist Party Sir Reg Empey, told the BBC's World at One it would take time to convince the people of Northern Ireland that this was more than just rhetoric. He said: "People are so sceptical, having had... been burnt so many times before. SDLP's Alex Attwood said that "11 years after the firt IRA ceasefire these are the words that we needed and wanted to hear." Former IRA prisoner Seanna Walsh read the statement "We now hope that the other paramilitary organisations on the loyalist side do the same." Denis Bradley, vice chairman of the Policing Board, said the statement was "saying the war was over" and people needed to acknowledge the clarity of it. "This is enormous within the history of this island," Mr Bradley said. "Will Sinn Fein now take their responsibility and their place in policing and justice?" he asked. When he made his appeal in April, Mr Adams said it was "a genuine attempt to drive the peace process forward". Republicans had been under intense pressure to end IRA activity after the £26.5m Northern Bank raid in December and the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney in January. Political talks last year failed to restore devolution, which stalled amid claims of IRA intelligence gathering at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, in 2002. The Provisional IRA's campaign of violence was aimed at forcing an end to the British presence in Northern Ireland, leading to a united Ireland.
-----  Hoped and pray similar actions takes place here between the GRP and various armed groups. |
 Justice for Daniel Lorenz Jacinto HELP END PIRACY NOW!: http://www.itfseafarers.org/petition.cfm | |
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| al'Lan Mandragoran | Aug 1 2005, 06:27 PM Post #2 |
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The government-NDF peace talks cancelled...looks like we still have some 'troubles' going on in the next few years. |
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"In wars, boy, fools kill other fools for foolish causes." "Run when you have to, fight when you must, rest when you can." - Robert Jordan; The Wheel of Time | |
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| saver111 | Aug 2 2005, 05:19 PM Post #3 |
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PDFF Moderator
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RIR faces 'decent and honourable' end Colonel Mark Campbell tells BBC NI Security Editor Brian Rowan in an exclusive interview that the decision to disband the Royal Irish Regiment is "practical", it is not about his regiment being "thrown to the political wolves". The most senior officer in the Royal Irish Regiment believes the decision to demobilise the Northern Ireland based battalions is a "practical reality". Colonel Mark Campbell said that the soldiers' service was being brought to a "decent and honourable" conclusion at a time when Northern Ireland was moving towards normality. Colonel Mark Campbell said it was a practical decision He did not accept that soldiers were being "thrown to the political wolves." "This is clearly a security issue," he said. "We are approaching a point where the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be able to provide the security and law enforcement to the province without routine military support." The colonel said it was unfair to view the decision as the Royal Irish being delivered "on demand from Sinn Fein". "The RIR and its predecessor, the UDR, came into place in 1970 when this was a very dark place and we all remember the violence that was visited on our community in the 70s, 80s and 90s," he said. He said the soldiers' role had been "critical" and he argued that it was largely because of them that those who would use force to achieve their ends were unable to do so. "I would argue it was largely because of the commitment of the UDR and the RIR Home Service that those who would use force have now turned away from force," he said. The colonel accepted that there were members who stepped outside the law and who let the wider regiment down. "There were clearly some bad apples in the barrel and those bad apples sometimes turned to distasteful, despicable terrorist acts," he said. "I just wish to reiterate that I, and all other members of the regiment, utterly condemn those individuals. They let us down, they let society down. And they really needed to get their just desserts in terms of legal process." But he said that everyone in Northern Ireland owed the regiment a debt. Royal Irish Regiment soldiers The RIR's NI-based battalions are to be disbanded "I think members of the republican community, they may wish to accept or may well not wish to accept it, also owe a considerable debt," he said. "Had they succeeded in achieving their aims through violence, I think this would not have been a very pleasant place to live. "It is because of the bravery and courage of those who stood and put themselves in harm's way in difficult times that we are where we are today." The colonel said a verification process would take place, following last week's IRA statement . However, once peace had been confirmed in Northern Ireland, the batallions were no longer needed. To retain them, in such circumstances would, he said, be "dishonourable". Colonel Campbell said it would be two years before demobilisation. But he said he was committed to a process of redundancy, resettlement and after-care for soldiers. "It will be an effective package which will deal honourably and decently by soldiers and also remember their ability to transfer into the rest of the army and continue to effect their expertise, should that be possible," he said. The colonel said he would remember the regiment with "great honour and pride". They had conducted their business with "professionalism and integrity", he said. "They have helped to achieve today a great step towards a society within Northern Ireland that we should all be proud and happy to belong to. "One whereby the police service, the civil police service can conduct their business and maintain law and order without military support and that is an end state we should all aspire to," he said. Asked if the conflict in Northern Ireland had been a "war with no winners", Colonel Campbell said there was nothing to be gained by one side claiming victory over another in Northern Ireland. "I think we need to embrace a bright, new, democratic future and that will not be assisted by one side claiming victory over another and mud slinging," he added. ----
Hope to see one day happening to our country especially the south so our AFP can concetrate more on external threaths and use all its funds for the much needed latest equipments. |
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Justice for Daniel Lorenz Jacinto HELP END PIRACY NOW!: http://www.itfseafarers.org/petition.cfm | |
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| maniegom | Aug 2 2005, 06:06 PM Post #4 |
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 This will be a day that I always pray for and will be such a blessing for all of us in the Philipiines. We really need to move on.Don't lose hope, we will get there. |
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3:11 PM Jul 13