Tuesday, July 25, 2006
IRA delivering on promises - Hain
In news that will please democrats and anger the Democratic Unionist Party, the Irish and British governments have announced that the Provisional IRA is honouring its commitment to shut down all terrorism and crime at an organisational level.Although Northern Secretary Peter Hain accepted that some current Provos are still involved in illegal operations, he insisted that was not a good enough excuse for political parties to refuse to restore devolution at Stormont by the November 24 deadline:
"There probably is still some localised individual criminality by former and maybe existing Provisional IRA members for their own private gain.
"What there is not, is any organised ‘from the centre’ criminality any more.
"To that extent the IRA are delivering on their commitments made last July, not just in respect of shutting down paramilitary activity but also shutting down criminality."
When Minister of Justice Michael McDowell was asked if he believed the IRA’s war was now over following its declarations and disarmament last summer, he stated:
"The Irish Government and British government are working on that assumption, based on the evidence we have."
No doubt the Democratic Unionists and the rest of rejectionist unionism will pour scorn on these statements. After all, who needs facts and evidence when you can resort to tried and tested stubbornness and ignorance?
I don't believe it
I won't believe it
I think the unfortunate reality is, as long as unionism continues to be dominated by bigots who look down their noses at any Catholics/nationalists about the place, then the prospect of devolved government will remain remote.
The two governments are now aware that the stumbing block to progress is no longer the Provisional IRA but rather the dismissiveness of the DUP.
Roll on joint
# posted by United Irelander @ 3:50 PM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
