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Review of UDA Ceasefire, Six Months on Aug 6 2003
By Gemma Murray
A SIX-month review of the Ulster Political Research Group's alleged ceasefire will be published later this week.
The UPRG's Frankie Gallagher last night confirmed a number of issues will be highlighted as, "part of the review of the UDA's period of military inactivity".
He said: "There will also be an appeal for those in the UDA and other loyalist communities to back the initiative even further.
"There needs to be an analysis of the summer in relation to the work carried out by the UPRG, Protestant Interface Network and other volunteers in loyalist working-class areas who have worked so far without any recognition."
The news came after SDLP former Assembly member for Coleraine John Dallat said the UDA could not be taken seriously if it continues to threaten its ceasefire.
Mr Dallat said he understood the UPRG is planning to make a statement on its current thinking in Londonderry tomorrow.
He said: "When the UDA announced their 12-month ceasefire in March it was given a cautious welcome by the SDLP.
"The public were told that there was restructuring going on within the UDA and the UPRG would become its public face instead of its warmongering brigadiers. Any threat to end it now will be treated with the contempt it deserves."
Mr Dallat said the realityis that there can be no going back to the 'killing fields' of the past.
He said: "Rumblings within the UDA and the upsurge of violence from other terror groups should spur the two governments and the political parties to focus on the reality of a deteriorating situation, which will be seized upon by those who know only violence and don't support the peace process."
g.murray@newsletter.co.uk
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Review of UDA Ceasefire, Six Months on
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#2
bluebear 
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Posted 06 August 2003 - 11:53 PM
http://www.u.tv/news...1&pt=nWEDNESDAY 06/08/2003 17:44:11 1 comment
McCoubrey on UDA ceasefire
A leading loyalist today urged nationalists to reserve their judgment on the Ulster Defence Association's ceasefire until next year. West Belfast councillor Frank McCoubrey was responding to SDLP and Sinn Fein comments on a forthcoming six-month review by the Ulster Political Research Group of the UDA ceasefire.
As the UPRG confirmed the results of the review would be disclosed tomorrow, the SDLP`s John Dallat warned the UDA would not be taken seriously if it continued to threaten its ceasefire.
``When the UDA announced their 12-month ceasefire in February it was given a cautious welcome by the SDLP,`` he said.
``The public were told that there was restructuring going on within the UDA and the UPRG would become its public face instead of its war-mongering brigadiers.
``Any threat to end it now will be treated with the contempt it deserves.
``While there can be no doubt that the present political vacuum is a cause for major concern and is seized upon by dissident republicans and elements identified with the UDA and other loyalist factions.
``The reality is that there can be no going back to the `killing fields` of the past which served no-one, and failed everyone.``
Following the ending of a bloody feud within the UDA and Ulster Freedom Fighters, members of the UPRG declared a 12-month ceasefire in February which they said would be kept under constant review.
The UPRG, which provides political analysis to the UDA, also announced that it was submitting the name of a go-between to General John de Chastelain`s international decommissioning body but said it would only respond to full disarmament from the IRA.
The UDA confirmed that it was currently going through internal restructuring and it intended the UPRG to become its public face instead of its brigadiers.
The ceasefire followed a turbulent few months in the UDA, with a feud claiming the life of its South Antrim brigadier John Gregg and resulting in the expulsion from Belfast of supporters of the rogue loyalist Johnny Adair.
Sinn Fein councillor Paul Butler, whose house was targeted in a bomb attack in west Belfast two days ago, was today cynical about the existence of the UDA ceasefire.
``The UDA claim to have been on cessation for the past six months and will announce the findings of some sort of a review,`` the Lisburn councillor said.
``But I have to say that I am a little shocked that the UPRG believes the UDA is on cessation.
``In the past six months things have been quieter but a significant level of violent UDA activity is ongoing. In Lisburn and Dunmurry alone there have been a series of violent attacks and my family has been targeted just days ago in an attack.
``The UDA needs to stop their campaign against Catholics and they need to stop their involvement in peddling drugs within our society. That is what people want to hear from the UPRG this week.``
However Mr McCoubrey, a member of the UPRG, dismissed the SDLP and Sinn Fein`s comments as ``predictable``.
``I would urge John Dallat and Paul Butler to bear with the UDA and judge it in a year`s time.
``Let`s look at what has happened. Certainly we have had the quietest summer for many years during the marching season and along the interfaces.
``That is down to the hard work of people like the UPRG and the Protestant Interface Network.
``Loyalists have been working positively in areas that were beset by internal feuds and interface violence and we are now at the point where there is light at the end of the tunnel.``
McCoubrey on UDA ceasefire
A leading loyalist today urged nationalists to reserve their judgment on the Ulster Defence Association's ceasefire until next year. West Belfast councillor Frank McCoubrey was responding to SDLP and Sinn Fein comments on a forthcoming six-month review by the Ulster Political Research Group of the UDA ceasefire.
As the UPRG confirmed the results of the review would be disclosed tomorrow, the SDLP`s John Dallat warned the UDA would not be taken seriously if it continued to threaten its ceasefire.
``When the UDA announced their 12-month ceasefire in February it was given a cautious welcome by the SDLP,`` he said.
``The public were told that there was restructuring going on within the UDA and the UPRG would become its public face instead of its war-mongering brigadiers.
``Any threat to end it now will be treated with the contempt it deserves.
``While there can be no doubt that the present political vacuum is a cause for major concern and is seized upon by dissident republicans and elements identified with the UDA and other loyalist factions.
``The reality is that there can be no going back to the `killing fields` of the past which served no-one, and failed everyone.``
Following the ending of a bloody feud within the UDA and Ulster Freedom Fighters, members of the UPRG declared a 12-month ceasefire in February which they said would be kept under constant review.
The UPRG, which provides political analysis to the UDA, also announced that it was submitting the name of a go-between to General John de Chastelain`s international decommissioning body but said it would only respond to full disarmament from the IRA.
The UDA confirmed that it was currently going through internal restructuring and it intended the UPRG to become its public face instead of its brigadiers.
The ceasefire followed a turbulent few months in the UDA, with a feud claiming the life of its South Antrim brigadier John Gregg and resulting in the expulsion from Belfast of supporters of the rogue loyalist Johnny Adair.
Sinn Fein councillor Paul Butler, whose house was targeted in a bomb attack in west Belfast two days ago, was today cynical about the existence of the UDA ceasefire.
``The UDA claim to have been on cessation for the past six months and will announce the findings of some sort of a review,`` the Lisburn councillor said.
``But I have to say that I am a little shocked that the UPRG believes the UDA is on cessation.
``In the past six months things have been quieter but a significant level of violent UDA activity is ongoing. In Lisburn and Dunmurry alone there have been a series of violent attacks and my family has been targeted just days ago in an attack.
``The UDA needs to stop their campaign against Catholics and they need to stop their involvement in peddling drugs within our society. That is what people want to hear from the UPRG this week.``
However Mr McCoubrey, a member of the UPRG, dismissed the SDLP and Sinn Fein`s comments as ``predictable``.
``I would urge John Dallat and Paul Butler to bear with the UDA and judge it in a year`s time.
``Let`s look at what has happened. Certainly we have had the quietest summer for many years during the marching season and along the interfaces.
``That is down to the hard work of people like the UPRG and the Protestant Interface Network.
``Loyalists have been working positively in areas that were beset by internal feuds and interface violence and we are now at the point where there is light at the end of the tunnel.``
#3
Kilsally
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Posted 10 August 2003 - 05:42 PM
http://www.u.tv/news...p?id=35616&pt=n THURSDAY 07/08/2003 17:20:47
UDA - NI ceasefire is 'solid'
The Ulster Defence Association said today its members were becoming disillusioned by the response of the government and others to its recent ceasefire. In a statement issued through the Ulster Political Research Group in Londonderry, Northern Ireland`s largest loyalist paramilitary group said it felt some people were trying to ``provoke a negative response`` from the organisation.
It also accused ``elements within the Police Service of Northern Ireland`` of trying to ``destabilise loyalism in general and the UDA in particular``.
While the 12-month cessation remained intact, the organisation said: ``Six months since the launch of `The John Gregg Initiative` the Ulster Defence Association rank and file have become disillusioned with the lack of response from the British government.
``The government`s refusal to recognise the UDA`s ceasefire is mirrored by elements within the PSNI who appear determined to demonise and destabilise loyalism in general and the UDA in particular.
``Recent actions by these elements can only be seen as an attempt to provoke a negative response from the Ulster Defence Association.
``For 30 years such tactics have not prevented loyalism from defending the democratic right of our people to self-determination and another 30 years will make no difference.``
The UDA ceasefire was announced in February after the ending of a bloody internal feud in the organisation.
The feud claimed the life of South Antrim brigadier John Gregg and resulted in the imprisonment of rogue loyalist Johnny Adair and the eventual expulsion of his supporters from their lower Shankill powerbase in west Belfast.
In February the UPRG said it was also submitting the name of a go-between for the UDA to General John de Chastelain`s international decommissioning body.
The UDA confirmed it would undergo internal restructuring which would result in the Ulster Political Research Group becoming its public face instead of its brigadiers.
UDA violence has dropped significantly since the feud ended, and Northern Ireland has enjoyed its quietest marching season.
However the divisions which surfaced in the feud have yet to be healed completely and resulted in the murder of Adair associate Alan McCullough in June when he tried to broker a deal to return to Belfast.
The organisation was blamed for the 21-year-old`s murder after his body was discovered in a shallow grave in Mallusk, Co Antrim.
The UDA said it believed loyalists were being treated more unfavourably than republicans.
It contrasted their treatment with the recent peace process proposal to enable on-the-run IRA members to return to Northern Ireland without being jailed.
The group also alleged ``mainstream PIRA members have continued to involve themselves in attacks on the security forces whilst targeting innocent Protestants in areas throughout the north west``.
Loyalists noted the police could not ``bring to justice the dissident elements responsible for attacks, which include two unresolved murders, of innocent Protestants``.
``As recently as last week the PSNI informed a number of loyalists of existing death threats from the PIRA.
``The UDA views with deep suspicion the nationalist community`s contribution to supporting policing structures when they have demonstrably shown that they are not prepared to cooperate with the PSNI in resolving these outstanding murders.
``Consequently dissident republican activity cannot go unpunished. It is for the government to respond to this situation.``
UDA - NI ceasefire is 'solid'
The Ulster Defence Association said today its members were becoming disillusioned by the response of the government and others to its recent ceasefire. In a statement issued through the Ulster Political Research Group in Londonderry, Northern Ireland`s largest loyalist paramilitary group said it felt some people were trying to ``provoke a negative response`` from the organisation.
It also accused ``elements within the Police Service of Northern Ireland`` of trying to ``destabilise loyalism in general and the UDA in particular``.
While the 12-month cessation remained intact, the organisation said: ``Six months since the launch of `The John Gregg Initiative` the Ulster Defence Association rank and file have become disillusioned with the lack of response from the British government.
``The government`s refusal to recognise the UDA`s ceasefire is mirrored by elements within the PSNI who appear determined to demonise and destabilise loyalism in general and the UDA in particular.
``Recent actions by these elements can only be seen as an attempt to provoke a negative response from the Ulster Defence Association.
``For 30 years such tactics have not prevented loyalism from defending the democratic right of our people to self-determination and another 30 years will make no difference.``
The UDA ceasefire was announced in February after the ending of a bloody internal feud in the organisation.
The feud claimed the life of South Antrim brigadier John Gregg and resulted in the imprisonment of rogue loyalist Johnny Adair and the eventual expulsion of his supporters from their lower Shankill powerbase in west Belfast.
In February the UPRG said it was also submitting the name of a go-between for the UDA to General John de Chastelain`s international decommissioning body.
The UDA confirmed it would undergo internal restructuring which would result in the Ulster Political Research Group becoming its public face instead of its brigadiers.
UDA violence has dropped significantly since the feud ended, and Northern Ireland has enjoyed its quietest marching season.
However the divisions which surfaced in the feud have yet to be healed completely and resulted in the murder of Adair associate Alan McCullough in June when he tried to broker a deal to return to Belfast.
The organisation was blamed for the 21-year-old`s murder after his body was discovered in a shallow grave in Mallusk, Co Antrim.
The UDA said it believed loyalists were being treated more unfavourably than republicans.
It contrasted their treatment with the recent peace process proposal to enable on-the-run IRA members to return to Northern Ireland without being jailed.
The group also alleged ``mainstream PIRA members have continued to involve themselves in attacks on the security forces whilst targeting innocent Protestants in areas throughout the north west``.
Loyalists noted the police could not ``bring to justice the dissident elements responsible for attacks, which include two unresolved murders, of innocent Protestants``.
``As recently as last week the PSNI informed a number of loyalists of existing death threats from the PIRA.
``The UDA views with deep suspicion the nationalist community`s contribution to supporting policing structures when they have demonstrably shown that they are not prepared to cooperate with the PSNI in resolving these outstanding murders.
``Consequently dissident republican activity cannot go unpunished. It is for the government to respond to this situation.``
My Space
http://www.myspace.com/kilsally
Faugh A Ballagh
Lámh Dhearg Abú
Tha Hamely Tongue:-
Houl yer whisht - keep quiet / don`t butt in
Ye hallion - you tearaway
Skreigh o day - crack of dawn / day
Scundered - fed up
http://www.myspace.com/kilsally
Faugh A Ballagh
Lámh Dhearg Abú
Tha Hamely Tongue:-
Houl yer whisht - keep quiet / don`t butt in
Ye hallion - you tearaway
Skreigh o day - crack of dawn / day
Scundered - fed up
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