Loyalists invite IRA to join in halting violence

A fresh bid for peace in Belfast’s sectarian flashpoint areas was launched tonight as loyalists invited the IRA to join them in halting all street violence.

Following a summer of almost nightly clashes, Sinn Fein reacted cautiously to a Loyalist Commission statement calling on republicans to join them in achieving calm along the city’s peaceline.

The commission, which is an umbrella group of paramilitaries, politicians and clergymen, admitted loyalist terror groups had been involved in violence but claimed it was “only in a defensive capacity”.

It also claimed: “When Sinn Fein/Provisional IRA stop the trouble on their side, the violence will stop.

“Whatever their aims they have only brought more fear, hurt and intolerable conditions to both sides and driven further wedges between our communities.

“We are certain that Sinn Fein/Provisional IRA are in denial of their responsibility for the violence towards loyalist communities.”

The commission welcomed Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames’ appeal last Friday for calm along the peaceline and called on his Catholic counterpart, Archbishop Sean Brady to echo his call.

The statement expressed disappointment that republicans had not responded positively to an announcement on June 15 that there would be “no first strike” by loyalist terror groups in flashpoint areas.

It insisted: “A period of calm entered into honestly and transparently can be of enormous relief and benefit to civic society.

“However, republican reciprocation requires more than hollow soundbites. It has to be experienced, practised and sustained by everyone to enable both sides to agree how best they can tolerate each other.”

Pupils at the Holy Cross school returned for the new academic year today without any incident despite a petrol bomb attack on loyalist homes in Glenbryn last night.

Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly was cautious tonight in his response to the Loyalist Commission’s call for calm.

The North Belfast Assembly member said: “We have had statements from the Loyalist Commission in the past – such as the so-called ‘no first strike’ policy - which was almost immediately found to be worthless.

“Unfortunately, nationalists will greet this latest statement with great scepticism, based on the actions of loyalist paramilitary groups over the summer.

“Word and deed are equally important. What we must have is calm within which dialogue can take place.

“Nationalist residents and their political representatives have made it clear time and time again that they will talk with anyone to try and bring the violence to a halt.”