British government acts over UVF ceasefire

The British government has announced that it no longer recognises the Ulster Volunteer Force ceasefire.

The British Ggovernment has announced that it no longer recognises the Ulster Volunteer Force ceasefire.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said the loyalist UVF and Red Hand Commando ceasefire had been specified with immediate effect from midnight.

Extensive loyalist street violence which paramilitary groups, including the UVF, have been accused of orchestrating meant Mr Hain had to bow to the pressure he has been under to act for some weeks.

Calls for action have come from all sides amid the bitter feud between the UVF and Loyalist Volunteer Force during which the UVF have shot dead four people.

A dossier on attacks blamed on the UVF, produced by the Independent Monitoring Commission, coupled with Police Service Chief Constable Hugh Orde’s assessment they were heavily involved in the rioting which followed the re-routing of an Orange Order parade on Saturday, left him with no option but to act.

Mr Hain said that following a review of paramilitary ceasefires the British government had determined to specify the UVF/RHC with immediate effect.

Announcing the decision he said: “I have reviewed the status of all specified and other paramilitary organisations, as I am obliged to do under legislation, and concluded there are sufficient grounds to specify the UVF/RHC.

“I intend therefore to lay an order before Parliament to that effect and to seek Parliament’s approval.”

The Secretary of State acknowledged that the action of the UVF in the ongoing feud, taken with the very serious attacks against the security forces over the course of recent days amounted to a breakdown of their ceasefire.

He said there had been no changes to the status of the remaining ceasefires which the British Government currently recognises.

More than 60 police officers have been injured and a similar number of people arrested during nights of some of the worst violence seen on the streets in years following the Orange Order march at the weekend.

Mr Hain’s announcement came after the Ulster Defence Association in north Belfast called for a halt to street violence.

It is a move which may well have saved them from suffering the same fate as the UVF.

The UDA paramilitary chiefs insisted its men should stay calm no matter what the provocation.

In a statement they added: “We are instructing our own membership to avoid any confrontation on the streets and steer away from any acts of violence.”

The UDA statement was highly significant, coming amid demands by police chiefs, British government ministers and nationalist politicians, for better unionist leadership.

The organisation called for politicians to use their influence to help restore order.

The statement issued through their political advisers, said: “No longer can we or will we let these types of situations destroy our own communities as it seems the community is the only sufferer in this conflict.”

While they escaped specification, David Ervine, leader of the Progressive Unionist Party which speaks for the UVF, said Mr Hain’s action was “tragic”.

While he said it was “hardly unexpected”, it would mean there was more ground to cover once the UVF was restored to the political process.

Many Belfast businesses closed early last night to let staff get home. Fears of further extensive rioting prompted bus operator Translink to call an early halt to services into north and east Belfast as well as Bangor and Newtownards, Co Down, due to concerns for passenger safety.

While there were extensive loyalist protests on the streets during the evening and road blockages, there were no reports of the violence and attacks on police which characterised the previous three night.