The Hindu : Ulster Unionists withdraw from disarmament talks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 18, 2003

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International

Ulster Unionists withdraw from disarmament talks

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON JAN. 17. Efforts to revive the Northern Ireland peace process suffered a setback today after two Unionist paramilitary groups, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando, announced their withdrawal from disarmament talks with the international decommissioning body accusing the British Government of trying to reach a deal with Republicans at the expense of the Unionists.

The Commission, led by Gen. John de Chastelain, was set up under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to check arms proliferation in Northern Ireland but its work has been repeatedly interrupted for lack of full cooperation from paramilitary organisations, both loyalist and republicans.

After today's development, the Commission is virtually grounded as the IRA has already suspended all contacts with it saying that it would not be pressured into giving up its weapons.

Armed militancy in Northern Ireland has become more pronounced in recent weeks as a result of the political vacuum following the suspension of the peace process last October after the Unionists threatened to withdraw from the power-sharing arrangement with Republicans if the IRA did not disband.

Rival paramilitary groups have been involved in a series of violent incidents including killings, raising fears that the province could be headed for a new phase of sectarian violence.

Last week, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, ordered re-arrest of the dreaded loyalist militant, John "Mad Dog'' Adair who had been released as part of the peace process.

He has been sent back to prison for allegedly re-igniting the sectarian "gang war'' in Belfast.

In what appeared to be a coordinated loyalist strategy to put pressure on the Government, the hardline Progressive Unionist Party, which has links with the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando, said it was suspending contacts with Sinn Fein, the main Republican party.

The PUP leader, David Ervine, said the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Sinn Fein were trying to strike a deal behind closed doors.

The PUP move followed Mr. Blair's talks with the Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, last week amid reports that the Government was inclined to concede Mr Adams' demand for withdrawal of British troops from nationalist areas and more comprehensive police reforms under a deal leading to disbandment of IRA.

IRA's refusal to wind up has been a main stumbling block in the peace process and the Government apparently believes that the concessions are worth making in order to resolve the issue.

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