Republicans urged to signal end to paramilitary activity

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today called on republicans to signal they are planning to end all involvement in paramilitary activity.

But the Upper Bann MP insisted neither he nor the UK government was looking for “every jot and tittle” to be completed by republicans now.

He told the Ulster Unionists annual conference in Armagh: “Neither the government’s formula, nor ours, say that everything must be done first.

“Rather both envisage a sense that paramilitarism is coming to an end soon.

“And perhaps the most important aspect of that sense is an acknowledgement by republicans that the Belfast Agreement is a settlement – that it provides the full and final closure of the conflict.

“I came across some recent focus group opinion research that interestingly looked particularly at the views of working class Protestants and anti-Agreement unionists.

“Its key finding was ’the war is over but the battlefield needs to be cleared up’.

“A huge part of clearing up is being honest and candid but also being charitable.

“We are waiting to see if these acts of completion will be done.

“The issue is simple. Republicans know what has to be done. It has been absolutely clear since April.

“This is what the Agreement sets out again and again as its overriding objective.”

As peace process negotiations with Sinn Féin entered a critical phase, Mr Trimble argued an end to all paramilitary activity was as important to people living in nationalist areas of Northern Ireland, like Andersonstown and the Creggan, as it was to cities like Armagh or the loyalists in Tandragee.

On the issue of policing and justice, he signalled to republicans his party wanted to see the transfer of powers from Westminster to Stormont in the lifetime of the next Assembly.

But he insisted it could not be rushed.

The Upper Bann MP said confidence in republicanism would be crucial if these powers were to be transferred.

“Support for policing and participation on the Policing Board which are part of the working out of these acts would further build the necessary confidence,” the former Stormont First Minister told republicans.

“The Assembly could then address the issue of how it would discharge responsibility for policing and the detailed steps by which that responsibility would be transferred.

“But I have to underline that it is simply absurd for people to have any responsibility for policing if they are linked to a private army!

“So, much as we would like to see it we cannot support the devolution of policing until Sinn Féin has resolved to support the police and the IRA has taken the inevitable step, consequent on such support, to wind up or transmute their organisation into something entirely peaceful and democratic.

“So any timescale for devolution is a timescale for these other matters.”

As the Ulster Unionists prepared for possible pre-Christmas Assembly elections, Mr Trimble noted the continued divisions in the party had sent out a “mixed message“.

And he also gave an ultimatum to three MPs – Jeffrey Donaldson, David Burnside and the Reverend Martin Smyth – who resigned the party whip in June in a row over policy, to toe the party line or quit.

“In September the Ulster Unionist Council, by a clear majority, called on them to take the whip and abide by its decisions,” he said.

“They may also recall that when they were selected they undertook and I quote: ’I will join the Ulster Unionist Party and accept the unionist party whip….I will support fully the policies and objectives of the Ulster Unionist Party’.

“Gentlemen, would you please decide whether you prefer to be independent members or if you really do want to be a part of a political party.”

Mr Trimble also rounded on the rival Democratic Unionist Party, claiming they were not involved in negotiations because they had nothing to negotiate.

The Ulster Unionist leader also accused him of being full of “phoney promises“.

He claimed the Reverend Ian Paisley’s party had moved from a position of vowing to destroy the Agreement to one of accepting it.

With the Ulster Unionists rebranding the party ahead of the Assembly election with a new logo, Mr Trimble said their new slogan of "Simply British" showed the party was “comfortable to be where we are, confident in ourselves and our ability to work with our fellow citizens“.

It was a vision of unionism which was “quietly proud of our role in the world and how our society can be inclusive of other identities and cultures.”

The Ulster Unionist leader said it was a paradox of the process that republicans were “prepared to change the whole nature of their movement, to give up the bad habits of their lifetime, not for a united Ireland but for a share of power within a Northern Ireland that remains unambiguously part of the United Kingdom.

“No wonder they try to camouflage this change by suggesting that a united Ireland is just around the corner. Their favourite camouflage was demographic change until the publication of the latest census figures made it clear that such change was a daydream.

“Today elsewhere in Armagh they are publishing a paper on building a united Ireland through something they call planned integration. Well they can plan all they like but it can’t happen without our consent and we prefer to remain simply British.”

He insisted the Ulster Unionists were stronger than ever before.

In a rousing finale, he predicted the party would defeat the Democratic Unionist Party at the next election.

“People keep running down this party but in 1996, 1998 and 2001 we beat the DUP,” he said.

“We beat them in the Forum, Assembly, General and Local government elections and if we hold our nerve we will beat them again and again and again.”

During the speech, rebel Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson sat outside the conference hall.

Mr Trimble's speech was described as ``insulting'' by Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

The Lagan Valley MP also accused Mr Trimble of “watering down” the party’s demands on paramilitary decommissioning and disbandment.

He told PA News: “I think his speech was very poor.

“It is clear that he is watering down our demand for decommissioning. How can you say a recommencement of decommissioning is an act of completion?

“The resolution passed by the party stated clearly that the decommissioning issue had to be dealt with conclusively.

“We need an end to paramilitary activity and we need the winding up of paramilitary organisations before Sinn Féin can get back into an executive.

“He is also preparing to do a deal on the devolution of policing and justice in two years and that has not been discussed within the party. He has consulted no one about it and it is also contrary to our present position.

“David Trimble is going to go for another half-baked deal with republicans that will fall short of unionist requirements but this time the electorate will have their say on the deal and I believe it will be comprehensively rejected.”

Mr Donaldson also called on his leader “to tell the truth” about the three MPs’ willingness to resolve their row.

He argued that the party leadership had been obstructive in resolving their difficulties.

“He is the man who is dividing the party at the moment, not the three MPs,” he said.