Fág an bealach

Óglaigh na hÉireann leads the way

Full text of IRA statement of 28 July, 2005

The leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign. This will take effect from 4pm this afternoon. All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.

The IRA leadership has also authorised a representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible. We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and catholic churches, to testify to this.

The Army Council took these decisions following an unprecedented internal discussion and consultation process with IRA units and volunteers. We appreciate the honest and forthright way in which the consultation process was carried out and the depth and content of the submissions. We are proud of the comradely way in which this truly historic discussion was conducted.

The outcome of our consultations show very strong support among IRA volunteers for the Sinn Féin peace strategy. There is also widespread concern about the failure of the two governments and the unionists to fully engage in the peace process. This has created real difficulties. The overwhelming majority of people in Ireland fully support this process.

They and friends of Irish unity through the world want to see the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Notwithstanding these difficulties, our decisions have been taken to advance our republican and democratic objectives, including our goal of a united Ireland. We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this and to end British rule in our country.

It is the responsibility of all volunteers to show leadership, determination and courage. We are very mindful of the sacrifices of our patriotic dead, those who went to jail, volunteers, their families and the wider republican base. We reiterate our view that the armed struggle was entirely legitimate. We are conscious that many people suffered in the conflict. There is a compelling imperative on all sides to build a just and lasting peace.

The issue of the defence of nationalist and republican communities has been raised with us. There is a responsibility on society to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of the pogroms of 1969 and the early-1970s. There is also a universal responsibility to tackle sectarianism in all its forms. The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation.

We call for maximum unity and effort by Irish republicans everywhere. We are confident that by working together Irish republicans can achieve our objectives. Every volunteer is aware of the import of the decisions we have taken and all Óglaigh are compelled to fully comply with these orders.

There is now an unprecedented opportunity to utilise the considerable energy and goodwill which there is for the peace process. This comprehensive series of unparalleled initiatives is our contribution to this and to the continued endeavours to bring about independence and unity for the people of Ireland.

P O'Neill.

RIR Home Service battalions to be disbanded

UTV 01 August, 2005

In a move which infuriated unionists, the Army`s General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland, Lieutenant General Sir Redmond Watt, confirmed there would be no military requirement for the battalions in the province.

The move was announced on the back of an IRA declaration last Thursday that it was ending its armed campaign and completing its scheme to decommission weapons.

Lt Gen Watt explained: "The Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) and their predecessors, the Ulster Defence Regiment, have played a crucial role in creating the enabling environment for normalisation to begin.

"Once the Police Service of Northern Ireland no longer needs routine military support, the three Home Service battalions will have successfully completed the task for which they were raised.

"The programme being published today will see Operation Banner end by August 1, 2007, assuming an enabling environment is maintained.

"With the eventual end of Operation Banner, there will be no military requirement for the Home Service battalions and, at that point, they will disband.

"I have today reassured members of the Regiment that, in considering how to handle this difficult period of transition, the Government is committed to treating fairly and with dignity those who have given so much."

Lt Gen Watt said the 1st Battalion of the RIR and the Royal Irish element of the Territorial Army would continue the traditions of the regiment.

The home-based battalions, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Home Service Battalions) have approximately 3,000 soldiers based in Northern Ireland. Many of them serve part-time.

Ulster Unionist Assembly member David Burnside was disgusted by the announcement.

The South Antrim MLA, a former member of the Ulster Defence Regiment, called on his party and the Democratic Unionists to make it clear to the British government that they would have nothing to do with what had become a process to appease republicans.

"This is another betrayal to be added on to the destruction of the Royal Ulster Constabulary," he said.

"Without even evidence of the ending of the IRA`s statement, which amounts to just promises, the Government has gone ahead with more concessions.

"There is not even an attempt to retain the RIR within the garrison in Northern Ireland.

"I am, therefore, calling on my own party and the DUP, which now leads unionism, to indicate to the British Government that we want no further part in this appeasement process which is masquerading as a peace process.

"But I have to ask what are the leaders of the DUP doing about this? We were told there would be no more concessions when they were the leading voice in unionism."

Mr Burnside also queried the wisdom of taking away localised back-up military support even in a time of peace in Northern Ireland.

He argued: "The IRA has traditionally called ceasefires and then resumed violence, so it is foolish in the extreme to get rid of the Home Service battalions of the RIR."

Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the announcement on the Royal Irish Regiment had come as a bombshell to his party.

The Lagan Valley MP said: "I am absolutely devastated by this.

"I think the Secretary of State under-estimates entirely the anger this decision will generate within the unionist community.

"It will have serious consequences for political unionism and the extent to which we can participate and co-operate with a Government which won`t even consult with us on such decisions.

"When we know nothing about these decisions, when we learn of them through the media and politicians aren`t informed about them, what does the Government expect?"

Mr Donaldson, who quit the Ulster Unionists in 2004 after years of opposing party policy, blamed the decision to axe the Home Service Battalions on the 2003 Joint Declaration negotiated when David Trimble was in charge of the UUP.

"When I was in the Ulster Unionist Party, I warned then that one of the consequences of the Joint Declaration would be the disbandment of the Royal Irish Regiment," he said.

"I was laughed at by the then UUP leader David Trimble, who went to (former Defence Minister) Geoff Hoon and got an assurance that there were no such plans.

"I said it was not worth the paper it was written on and I was howled down by David Trimble and his supporters. Now we see the outworking of the Joint Declaration."

Sinn Fein`s Conor Murphy said the RIR was always going to have to figure in any demilitarisation plan brought forward by the British Government.

The Newry and Armagh MP said: "We have consistently called for the British Government to produce a comprehensive strategy to achieve the demilitarisation of our society.

"Any such strategy would have to include the future of the RIR.

"Sinn Fein has consistently raised the issue of the continuing role of the RIR, its sectarian composition and its collusion with the unionist paramilitaries and today`s announcement deals with this issue."

The Ministry of Defence said that Northern Ireland`s eventual peacetime garrison will be no more than 5,000 armed forces personnel, who will be available for worldwide operations.

A plan for the phased reduction of personnel will be published as soon as is practicable and further announcements will follow, said the MoD in a statement.

Defence Secretary John Reid said: "I pay tribute to the dedication and sacrifice of all those service men and women and civilians who have served in Northern Ireland over the past 36 years and I welcome the programme of security normalisation announced today by Peter Hain.

"The armed forces will continue to support the police for as long as the Chief Constable requires, but we also look forward to the time, now clearly in sight, when such support is no longer needed.

"We will press on quickly with implementing normalisation measures on the ground now."

Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the Government`s decision to disband the home battalions of the RIR was reckless.

The East Belfast Assembly said: "The Secretary of State is unconvincing when he claims that the decision is being taken on Security advice.

"Mr Hain ignored the security advice over the Sean Kelly affair and released him on purely political grounds last week.

"Let us be clear. This is a political response to an IRA statement which is vague.

"Political expediency is being allowed to take the place of common sense.

"Furthermore this decision flies in the face of a statement by Secretary of Defence Geoff Hoon in 2003, in which he gave an assurance that there were no plans to disband the Home Service Battalions."

Sir Reg also claimed today`s announcement was an embarrassment to the DUP which said it would stop concessions but was not informed in advance of the decision.

"Despite all these attacks on the UUP, this issue is so important that I am prepared to co-operate with like-minded unionists to seek to fight this irresponsible decision," he said.

"This would be a better use of our time and energy than an endless blame game between unionist parties that will only allow the government and republicans to get on with dismantling the defences of our country."

British government announces 'normalisation' plans

UTV Monday 1 August 2005

The British government today set out a two-year plan to scale down the Army's presence in northern Ireland and change the way the province is 'policed'.

The move by Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain followed the IRA`s announcement on Thursday that it is ending its armed campaign and completing its disarmament programme.

Under the security normalisation plans, Army observation posts will be closed, police stations will be defortified and troops reduced to peacetime levels of around 5,000 soldiers in the province if the security climate is right.

There are currently around 10,500 soldiers in the province.

The Government is also aiming to repeal within two years counter terrorist legislation particular to Northern Ireland if everything goes according to plan.

The plan will be introduced in three phases over the next 24 months.

In the first phase lasting eight months:

:: The observation post in Divis Tower, in the heart of Sinn Fein leader Gerry`s Adams` West Belfast constituency, will be removed over six months, with work starting this week, possibly tomorrow.

:: Two observation towers will also be dismantled over six months at the Masonic site in Londonderry.

:: Two towers in South Armagh in Creevekeeran and Drummuckavall will also be removed, with the sites restored to greenfield status.

:: A structured plan will be produced for the phased reduction of the military`s presence in Northern Ireland to that of a peacetime garrison.

:: The review of the police estate will continue with Northern Ireland`s Policing Board and district commanders and local communities including moves to defortify 24 PSNI stations.

In the second phase lasting 12 months, there will be:

:: More police stations defortified and the development and extension of new policing practices with more single beat officers, bicycle patrols on the streets and the opening of police shops.

:: The vacation and demolition of the remaining Army watchtowers in south Armagh, with all these sites with the exception of a Blue Light communications site in Croslieve returned to greenfield sites.

:: The progressive withdrawal of soldiers from sites where they are stationed along with police in Crossmaglen, Middletown and Newtownhamilton in Co Armagh as well as in Counties Fermamagh and Tyrone.

:: The removal of the Army base in Maydown Police Station in Londonderry.

:: A reduction in troop levels in line with the published plan and the return of private property on vacated sites.

In the third and final phase lasting four months, the Government has pledged to:

:: Further implement the police estate review as determined by the Policing Board.

:: Provide additional opportunities for police to patrol without the use of armoured vehicles.

:: Vacate and demolish the observation post at Rosemount in Londonderry.

:: Leave no more than 14 core Army sites in the province.

:: Further reduce Army and other service levels and disband the operational brigade headquarters to a permanent military garrison of no more than 5,0000 soldiers. However the size of the longer-term garrison will fluctuate according to the demands placed on the Army around the world.

:: Repeal counter terrorist legislation particular to Northern Ireland.

Mr Hain, who discussed demilitarisation with Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy at Hillsborough Castle this morning along with PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde, stressed today that the plans would only be implemented in the right security climate.

"My first and overriding priority, and that of the Chief Constable and the Army GOC, is the safety and security of the people of Northern Ireland. We will not do anything that will compromise that.

"Provided the enabling environment is established and maintained this programme will be achievable within two years though if the conditions are right to move more quickly in implementing elements of the plan, the Government will do so.

"The programme published today will see the creation of an environment which will allow the return of conventional policing across Northern Ireland."

Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy called on unionists to embrace demilitarisation in the Province.

Speaking outside the party`s office on the Falls Road, the Newry and South Armagh MP said: "I have heard unionists decry any demilitarisation.

"I have to ask who wants to live in a heavily militarised society.

"It is for all our benefits, unionists as well as nationalists and republicans, to see society here demilitarised.

"That is what we are striving to achieve.

"The IRA has made a very significant contribution to that and what we are now seeing is others responding to that initiative."

Mr Murphy was speaking after holding talks with Peter Hain and Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde at Hillsborough Castle this morning.

He said: "Sinn Fein have been actively pushing the British government to deal with its war apparatus here.

"As part of that we have been asking them to produce a comprehensive schedule to deal with the whole demilitarisation issue.

"We have had a meeting this morning with Peter Hain in which we pushed for this work to be completed within the earliest possible timeframe.

"I welcome the work that has begun in South Armagh but we want to see that speeded up at installations and British military apparatus right across the North."

Mr Murphy also said he hoped such a compromise strategy would include the disbandment of the Royal Irish regiment.

Nationalist SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said the announcements were belated but claimed demilitarisation could be completed within an even shorter timeframe.

"It has been widely speculated that the Northern regiments of the RIR were to be disbanded," the West Belfast MLA said.

"Today`s confirmation is the right thing to do given nationalist anger and anxiety at the actions of the RIR and previously the UDR."

Mr Attwood said with the biggest normalisation measures around policing, much of the work announced by Mr Hain was being driven by his party.

"All of this exposes ever more the weakness of Sinn Fein on policing," he argued.

"They long ago ran out of excuses not to support the new policing arrangements.

"Their attitude is now clearly out of date.

"It is downright contradictory to meet with the Chief Constable and not measure up to accepting policing responsibility. They are now running out of time to face up to this issue."

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary David Lidington said: "These decisions are premature. So far, Sinn Fein/IRA has given us encouraging words but has not yet acted to decommission its weapons, dismantle its paramilitary organisation or cease its involvement in crime.

"We`ve not had even a verbal pledge to support the police and the criminal justice system. The imposition of IRA mafia justice on Nationalist areas continues. Robert McCartney`s sisters are being forced to leave their home.

"Once there is clear evidence that republicans are matching words with deeds, the Government would be right to proceed with a programme of normalisation. But people in Northern Ireland want proof that the changed climate hailed by ministers is both permanent and irreversible.

"Instead, it is the Government that is rushing to implement measures that are bound to be permanent and irreversible. What is Mr Hain`s plan if the IRA fails to deliver on its promises, as has happened so many times before?"

The leader of Northern Ireland`s cross community Alliance Party, David Ford, was astonished that the British government had announced a detailed two-year security plan ahead of any IRA moves.

The South Antrim Assembly member said: "While we are all working towards the day when we can have normal policing in Northern Ireland, there was nothing in the IRA`s recent statement to indicate that it is wise to so radically repeal our current security apparatus at the moment.

"The IRA statement said nothing about accepting the legitimacy of either the northern or southern state with respect to policing and criminal justice.

"The IRA statement said nothing about dismantling its `front` organisations and organised crime networks.

"There has been no report by the Independent Monitoring Commission on any actions by the IRA in compliance with their own pledges.

"Especially in regards to decommissioning, where is the IRA`s two-year disarmament plan?

"The IRA pledges to `engage` with the IICD, to `further enhance public confidence`. But Northern Ireland society has been waiting for IRA full decommissioning since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998."