Loyalist paramilitaries ‘must move on disarmament’

Loyalists have no justification for failing to move on the disarmament issue, a nationalist minister in the Northern Ireland Executive claimed today.

In the wake of the IRA’s second act of weapons decommissioning, the SDLP’s Sean Farren argued that loyalist paramilitary groups needed to look at what they were doing to their communities.

‘‘There can be no justification whatsoever for the lack of movement by the loyalists,’’ the Assembly member for North Antrim said.

‘‘Their attitude to the peace process and all that has been achieved seems to be one of contempt.

‘‘Their ceasefires are in tatters, they are involved in stoking up discontent and violence on a nightly basis. They are involved in drug dealing and racketeering.

‘‘Where is their honour? Where is their political agenda? Where are they leading their community?

‘‘Those of us in the pro-Agreement camp will do all that we can to listen to the concerns and to help where we can but it is time that loyalism stood up on its own two feet, took a long hard look at itself and decided what it is worth and what it can contribute to the future of the North (of Ireland).’’

Finance minister Mr Farren, who said the latest act of IRA decommissioning was welcome even though it was ‘‘later than most of us would have liked’’, also called on unionist leaders to play their part in bringing about loyalist disarmament.

‘‘Wider unionism cannot stand idly by,’’ he continued.

‘‘Ordinary unionists must insist that loyalist paramilitaries begin to follow suit in relation to decommissioning.

‘‘Republicans have shown that it can be seen and portrayed as a positive development. Surely loyalism can do likewise?’’

Mr Farren was echoing calls from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and SDLP leader and Stormont Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan for movement on loyalist arms.

In its statement on Monday confirming another round of decommissioning, the IRA said it was doing so to stabilise, sustain and strengthen the peace process.

Meanwhile Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid today denied the IRA had disarmed in return for a secret deal to allow on-the-run terrorists back into Northern Ireland without fear of prosecution.

Dr John Reid acknowledged that the British government wanted to find a way to resolve the issue of fugitive IRA members.

But that issue was not related to the announcement that the IRA had put more weapons beyond use.

Dr Reid said: ‘‘It is no secret that we want to deal with the issue of those prisoners who have been on the run ... But it is a difficult one, we have to think of the victims, we have to think of the non-Republicans who can’t come back because of the threat from the paramilitaries.

‘‘We have to think of a range of issues and we haven’t got the method of resolving the problem yet.

‘‘But there has been no secret deal or trade-off here.’’