[article]UDA announce intention to fold tent

mike65

Thats one too many tents but nevermind.

from bbc

UDA 'working towards disarming'

The announcement was made at a ceremony in north Belfast
The loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association has promised to end all violence and work towards complete disarmament.

It follows Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy's announcement on Friday that the government was prepared to again recognise the UDA's ceasefire.

A statement from the paramilitary group was read on Sunday at a loyalist commemoration by Tommy Kirkham of the Ulster Political Research Group, which provides political analysis for the UDA.

Masked men were among a crowd of more than 2,000 people at the loyalist Rathcoole estate on the outskirts of north Belfast which heard the statement.

Reading the UDA statement Mr Kirkham said: "From today we are prepared to move into a process.

"Our commitment to that process will be to work towards a day when there is no longer a need for a UDA and a UFF (Ulster Freedom Fighters)."

Mr Kirkham said that the UDA would cease all violent activity from Sunday onwards.

"We have agreed with our government to enter into a process which will see the eradication of all paramilitary activity," he said.

"We will engage with the decommissioning commission, though we must be satisfied there is no longer any threat to our community from without or within.

"Furthermore, we need to be certain that this latest attempt to find a political settlement is for real."

He said the UDA's strategy "will become one of community development, job creation, social inclusion and community politics".

However, he indicated the UDA would adopt a wait and see approach to republicanism, and there were indications that it may return to violence if the current political process failed.

"History tells us all that whenever the need arises or there is a threat to our very existence, there will always be some form of defence association," he said.

The UDA's ceasefire will be formally recognised from midnight onwards following Mr Murphy's decision.

Mr Murphy said he believed that Northern Ireland's biggest loyalist paramilitary group was ready to move away from violence.


Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey said he welcomed the move but understood why many would be sceptical about it.

"We are faced with a dilemma here, because in the first instance we want them to stop the kind of activity they are involved in," he said.

"We have heard all these statements before, and there is a huge dose of scepticism out there. A number of families who have even recently been victimised by the UDA and their colleagues are very sceptical about this announcement. I hope and my party hopes that it is successful."

Mike.

Victor

mike65 wrote:

UDA announce intention to fold tent

Mr. Kissenger would like to know where the UDA will now pee.

rien_du_tout

Heard on 2fm news at 2pm yesterday (I remember coz I was late 4 work at the time!) that the UDA would aim to concentrate on social, local & political issues.

They sound so friendly now! Fair enough to keep the structures intact but hopefully they wont aim to keep sectarian divisions within northern society, accepting that in certain ways the GFA does institutionalise those divisions.

Also heard it is the biggist paramiltary organisation in the 6 counties. But as far as I know that wouldnt be the case if active membership was counted instead of just being a part of the larger organisation and fairly apathetic to it.

So when will they be called on to decommission? (as the IRA has already done on several occassions)
And since they aim to continue as an organisation of peaceful means, when can anybody foresee the UDA being legalised?

seán

mycroft

rien_du_tout wrote:

Heard on 2fm news at 2pm yesterday (I remember coz I was late 4 work at the time!) that the UDA would aim to concentrate on social, local & political issues.

Translation, selling drugs, local rackettering, and hooking up with combat 18 and other far right groups.

Goto diversify now we don't just have the Taigs to deal with, theres chinks and darkies as well now.