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Churches to verify weapons dump as IRA ends armed campaign

-28/07/05

Independent Protestant and Catholic Church representatives are to be invited to verify a process of putting Irish Republican Army weapons ëbeyond useí in co-operation with official decommissioning body, says an IRA statement today.

The announcement by the IRA (Oglaigh na hEireann), which orders a complete end to its 30-year ìarmed struggleî, has been greeted with relief, joy and scepticism by different people within the northern Irish community. It came into effect just under three hours ago (4pm).

ìEvery word and deed that helps to foster peace is to be welcomed,î said Archbishop Sean OíBrady, Catholic Primate of All Ireland, in his response. ìI hope that the IRA will not only deliver on its declared commitment to end its armed campaign but also accompany this historic declaration with the kind of actions that will build trust, inspire confidence and encourage a positive response from others.î

Archbishop Robin Eames, leader of the (Anglican) Church of Ireland declared: ìQuite apart from the political debate which will follow this statement from the IRA there are moral issues which must be addressed.î

He added: ìAny moves which will remove the threat of terrorism and violence from the entire community must be welcomed.î

But referring to thousands killed, maimed and traumatised since ëthe troublesí began in 1969, Archbishop Eames also noted that ìThe victims of the past must never be forgotten.î

Dr Eames said: ìOn this day my thoughts and prayers are for the many individuals and families who have lost loved ones through terrorism over the years.î

Some 1,800 people have been killed and many more injured as a result of IRA violence. Loyalist paramilitaries have also killed and injured an equal, some say larger, group of people. The Army has also been involved in a number of deaths.

The IRAís declaration orders all its units to dump their arms. Members are instructed to pursue their political objective of a united Ireland through ìexclusively peaceful meansî following an ìhonest and forthrightî consultation process among the movementís supporters.

The Northern Ireland peace process and the democratic electoral politics of Sinn Fein are described as ìthe alternative wayî to violence.

The statement says: ìVolunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoeverî ñ a reference commentators associate with punishment beatings, extortion, and acts of sectarian violence.

The IRA declares that everyone should seek to overcome sectarianism.

On getting rid of weapons, the IRA says: ì[Our] leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD [Independent International Commission on Decommissioning] 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.î

It goes on: ìWe have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and Catholic churches, to testify to this.î

This is similar to an earlier initiative, which was stalled because the IRA would not accede to public photographs of the process and Unionists would not accept decommissioning without this.

For many the involvement of church witnesses may be a confidence building measure. But some Unionists say that even if they are independent, the IRA is still effectively choosing its own verifiers.

Overall, while nationalist politicians have welcomed the end of the IRAís armed campaign, Unionists are openly sceptical. On BBC radio this after noon, Ian Paisley Junior of the Democratic Unionist Party described ìpieties on paperî as useless.

British PM Tony Blair also said that words needed to be turned into action, though he also described the statement as ìa step of unparalleled magnitude.î

The latest wave of ëtroublesí in Northern Ireland escalated with the arrival of British troops in 1969. Originally welcomed by many in the Catholic community, they rapidly became seen by Republicans as ìan army of occupationî.

Unionists wish Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK. Republicans wish to see it become part of a United Ireland in a reversal of earlier occupation. The former are largely Protestant, and the latter largely Catholic ñ though the religious dimension of the conflict, which goes back to the 17th century, has latterly been de-emphasised.


Find books now:

Churches to verify weapons dump as IRA ends armed campaign

-28/07/05

Independent Protestant and Catholic Church representatives are to be invited to verify a process of putting Irish Republican Army weapons ëbeyond use’ in co-operation with official decommissioning body, says an IRA statement today.

The announcement by the IRA (Oglaigh na hEireann), which orders a complete end to its 30-year ‘armed struggle’, has been greeted with relief, joy and scepticism by different people within the northern Irish community. It came into effect just under three hours ago (4pm).

‘Every word and deed that helps to foster peace is to be welcomed,’ said Archbishop Sean O’Brady, Catholic Primate of All Ireland, in his response. ‘I hope that the IRA will not only deliver on its declared commitment to end its armed campaign but also accompany this historic declaration with the kind of actions that will build trust, inspire confidence and encourage a positive response from others.’

Archbishop Robin Eames, leader of the (Anglican) Church of Ireland declared: ‘Quite apart from the political debate which will follow this statement from the IRA there are moral issues which must be addressed.’

He added: ‘Any moves which will remove the threat of terrorism and violence from the entire community must be welcomed.’

But referring to thousands killed, maimed and traumatised since ëthe troubles’ began in 1969, Archbishop Eames also noted that ‘The victims of the past must never be forgotten.’

Dr Eames said: ‘On this day my thoughts and prayers are for the many individuals and families who have lost loved ones through terrorism over the years.’

Some 1,800 people have been killed and many more injured as a result of IRA violence. Loyalist paramilitaries have also killed and injured an equal, some say larger, group of people. The Army has also been involved in a number of deaths.

The IRA’s declaration orders all its units to dump their arms. Members are instructed to pursue their political objective of a united Ireland through ‘exclusively peaceful means’ following an ‘honest and forthright’ consultation process among the movement’s supporters.

The Northern Ireland peace process and the democratic electoral politics of Sinn Fein are described as ‘the alternative way’ to violence.

The statement says: ‘Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever’ – a reference commentators associate with punishment beatings, extortion, and acts of sectarian violence.

The IRA declares that everyone should seek to overcome sectarianism.

On getting rid of weapons, the IRA says: ‘[Our] leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD [Independent International Commission on Decommissioning] 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.’

It goes on: ‘We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and Catholic churches, to testify to this.’

This is similar to an earlier initiative, which was stalled because the IRA would not accede to public photographs of the process and Unionists would not accept decommissioning without this.

For many the involvement of church witnesses may be a confidence building measure. But some Unionists say that even if they are independent, the IRA is still effectively choosing its own verifiers.

Overall, while nationalist politicians have welcomed the end of the IRA’s armed campaign, Unionists are openly sceptical. On BBC radio this after noon, Ian Paisley Junior of the Democratic Unionist Party described ‘pieties on paper’ as useless.

British PM Tony Blair also said that words needed to be turned into action, though he also described the statement as ‘a step of unparalleled magnitude.’

The latest wave of ëtroubles’ in Northern Ireland escalated with the arrival of British troops in 1969. Originally welcomed by many in the Catholic community, they rapidly became seen by Republicans as ‘an army of occupation’.

Unionists wish Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK. Republicans wish to see it become part of a United Ireland in a reversal of earlier occupation. The former are largely Protestant, and the latter largely Catholic – though the religious dimension of the conflict, which goes back to the 17th century, has latterly been de-emphasised.