UDA to "consider" ending activities

catholicireland

One of the main loyalist paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland has hinted it may follow the IRA and end its activities.

In a statement read out to supporters at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Rathcoole in the outskirts of Belfast, the UDA said it wants to discuss its future with the British government.

Reacting to the news, the SDLP's Alex Atwood said the loyalist paramilitaries would have to go beyond words.


Isnt it time the english terrorists follow the IRAs lead and end their sillyness??

Sponge Bob

well the UDA are not english are they????

they are Irishmen or Ulstermen or British maybe .

Your thread title is accurate though, I understand the price on the table from the UDA is c UKP50 Million of 'investment' in loyal ghettos in the north of Ireland

Sand

Theyre British last I heard. Even the provos dont include Loyalists in their definition of Irish. Final solutions await them in a United Ireland.

I think the UDA are looking at SFIRA and thinking "If they can do it (trade the threat of violence for concessions) why cant we?" They might be hoping to gain a veneer of respectability by disarmament/ending their campaign, then work towards building a electoral base to undermine the DUP - turn those gunmen into "election workers"/political intelligence units. In their favour is that they could present themselves as more secularist, the DUP are basically bigoted religous loonies at heart so Id imagine the majority of unionists are uncomftable with them, seeing them as the least worst option.

They can also rely on the fact that they would be seen as unwilling to give an inch seeing as they have a proven willingness to murder people for their cause, a match for SFIRA in that regard. They could do to the DUP what the DUP did to the UUP, staying outside the proccess and criticising constantly, then picking up votes as the worst comes to pass.

What would count against them is they would be starting from 20 years and more behind SFIRA, and they have done some really stupid things like disbanding their political wing, and having links with the likes of Combat 18 (since stopped apparently, but the taint is there. If it had been communist dicatatorships it wouldnt be a problem). Secondly, whilst nationalist voters in Northern Ireland have proven willing to hold their nose and vote SFIRA whilst theyre busy shooting people, robbing banks and beating kids into intensive care, Unionist voters have historically supported "big house" unionism in the shape of the UUP, and the real hardliners go for the DUP. Support for the violent Loyalist parties on the other hand is pathetic, given the loyalists well known involvement in drugs.

Maybe they recognise their disadvantage, hence the crude demand of investment cash for movement on declarations of intent. If nothing else, investment in an area would provide opportunities for their criminally minded friends to siphon some of it off in protection rackets, training schemes for out of work vigilanters etc.

Zebra3

Sand wrote:

Secondly, whilst nationalist voters in Northern Ireland have proven willing to hold their nose and vote SFIRA whilst theyre busy shooting people, robbing banks and beating kids into intensive care, Unionist voters have historically supported "big house" unionism in the shape of the UUP, and the real hardliners go for the DUP. Support for the violent Loyalist parties on the other hand is pathetic, given the loyalists well known involvement in drugs.

Yes, but unionist voters have had no problems with the British Army murdering innocent civilians or with the RUC turning their backs to (and even joining in on) anti-Catholic pograms. Many didn't see the need for Loyalist terrorists given the state terrorist machine that was/is in place.

maccor

Sand wrote:

SFIRA.

some day, we will find out who this mysterious and oft quoted 'SFIRA' grouping is. Obviously made up in the minds of some as technically there is no such thing as SFIRA. then again, we dont want truth getting in the way really, do we?

Benedict XVI

maccor wrote:

some day, we will find out who this mysterious and oft quoted 'SFIRA' grouping is. Obviously made up in the minds of some as technically there is no such thing as SFIRA. then again, we dont want truth getting in the way really, do we?

SFIRA stands for 'Sinn fein IRA', this is the same 'Sinn Fein IRA' that idiots who follow a republican cause (or are just stupid) like to sing as part of the chorus of 'The Fields of Athenry'.

'Edited spelling, thank you Milo'

Dar

/me slaps Benedict around with the irony trout.

Milo

Who are Sein Fein?

catholicireland

Who are Sein Fein?

http://www.sinnfein.ie

maccor

Benedict XVI wrote:

SFIRA stands for 'Sinn fein IRA', this is the same 'Sinn Fein IRA' that idiots who follow a republican cause (or are just stupid) like to sing as part of the chorus of 'The Fields of Athenry'.

'Edited spelling, thank you Milo'

could you back that up with links please, especially the Athenry bit?
Who is SInnFein IRa? I know theres Sinn Fein alright, plus there used to be the IRA, but I thought the Sinn Fein/Ira was something that bigots in the north thought up just to be sectarian. Obviously Sinn Fein isnt the IRA - as the IRA no longer exists but Sinn Fein do - so g'wan .. back up your claims about a faction called SinnFein/Ira there like a good boardser .. i want to see where you get your information from.

Anyone who cant prove that this strange SinnFein/Ira thing is an actual organisation shouldnt mention it in the future, as its a phrase designed to antagonise republicans, and shouldnt be tolerated on this board. (im awaiting the quick witted mod reply along the lines of 'we decide whats tolerated not you' )

oscarBravo

maccor wrote:

could you back that up with links please, especially the Athenry bit?

You want links to idiots shouting "Sinn Féin" and "IRA" during the chorus of Fields of Athenry? (a) You can't seriously mean to suggest that you haven't heard it happen, and (b) exactly what form do you expect these links to take?

maccor

no, i want proof that these people who do such a thing are part of sinn fein - or even are republican voters. I think its seriously misleading to tell people that republicans are really part of a faction called SFIRA and spend their time singing the fields of athenry. I want to see where the evidence is for that.

Personally I dont think republicans do that. otehrs do it alright, but they dont seem to vote SF, or so my personal door to door canvassing experience has told me.

This forum shouldnt be a knocking shop. there is no such thing as SFIRA, except of course as a discriminating term used by unionists against nationalists - a sectarian phrase if you will. theres no place for that on here. well, there obvioulsy is, but in the real world, theres no need for such antagonising.