Apology doesn't go far enough, say unionists

THE Ulster Unionists said the IRA statement did not go far enough, saying what was needed was an assurance that the war was over.

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson branded the statement a “half-hearted apology’’ which “doesn’t go far enough’’.

He questioned whether the IRA was committed to the peace process, pointing to accusations that republicans had been involved in the recent shooting of five Protestants in east Belfast, the planning of street violence during the unionist marching season and IRA involvement with FARC guerrillas in Colombia.

He said: “What we need to know is that there will be no more innocent people who will die at the hands of the IRA either in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

“There are a few people who will allow themselves to be deceived by the IRA’s words into believing that there is a commitment to the peace process but I judge the IRA as much by their actions as I do by their words.”

The British Government gave a guarded welcome to the statement while stressing the need for the Good Friday Agreement to be implemented in full.

A senior source said: “The Government clearly regrets all deaths during the Troubles but if this addresses the painful legacy of the past, then it is welcome.

“But what it underlines is the need for us all to implement the agreement in full to ensure there are no future deaths from violence in Northern Ireland.”

Northern Secretary John Reid welcomed the strength of the IRA statement and its acknowledgement of the pain it had caused to so many people.

He said: “What we all have to do is to give people the confidence that there will be no return to the type of activities that caused that pain and that we are all committed to resolving our difficulties through exclusively democratic and political means.

“This is a peace process which is in transition, which has come a huge distance but it won’t be completed until everyone is confident that the past is behind us and that the type of actions which brought so much pain have been set aside.’’

David Ervine, leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, which speaks for the Ulster Volunteer Force, said the IRA statement, released to republican newspaper An Phoblacht, should not be dismissed out of hand.

“It’s been a long time in coming and we should acknowledge the fact that it has arrived and hope that maybe it heralds a new attitude,’’ he said.

Peter Robinson, deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, said the IRA would be serving the people of Northern Ireland better if it stopped its present violence.

“Their statement has all the odour of being more to do with the dilemma they are facing with the Prime Minister than any earnestness on their part to recognise the hurt and anger they have caused.’’