28 January 1999 Edition
A week of concerted efforts to wreck peace process
By Mary Maguire
On the 1999 calendar, yet another week has been ticked and still no progress has been made. The peace process, already described as a ``pace process'', is hitting new obstacles. This week was not only characterised by an absence of moves to set up the Assembly Executive. A concerted campaign of actions aimed at wrecking the Agreement has further clarified David Trimble's politics of obstructionism.
As David Trimble threatens to ``park'' the process and refuses to honour his commitments to establish an Executive, allies of anti-Agreement unionists have attempted to jeopardise the dynamics of the political process.
The actors of this unholy alliance range from British Tory leader William Hague, through FAIT and the RUC, to the so-called Orange Volunteer Force.
Backed by two British Labour MPs, William Hague this week latched onto the issue of punishment beatings in nationalist areas and demanded an end to the early releases of POWs. The way in which the office of the British Secretary of State hyped a meeting that suddenly solely focused on the issue punishment beatings is another demonstration of bad faith.
In parallel, the RUC has continued to attempt to recruit informers, particularly in West Belfast.
A meeting between relatives of the eight men killed by British state forces and British minister Adam Ingram was also exploited for political purposes. Unionists who oppose the Agreement attempted to deny these victims legitimate recognition by calling for the cancellation of the meeing. The efforts to create controversy by No-camp unionists was simply unionist propaganda, carried out with the complicity of the British newswires who ran the story for six consecutive days in advance of Monday's meeting.
Meanwhile, the parents of murdered teenager Peter McBride are asked to accept that the two guardsmen who murdered their son benefit from ``exceptional circumstances'' and therefore are perfectly entitled to rejoin the British Army.
Suggestions by David Jones and the Orange Order that further demonstrations are to take place around the Garvaghy Road estate are yet another indication that the Orange Order are not serious about resolving Drumcree peacefully and no Unionist leader has spoken against their plans. By failing to stop a siege that has entered its 200th day, the British government is giving a green light to some of the most bitter opponents Agreement.
While the political vacuum persists, loyalist death squads have intensifed a campaign of sectarian attacks. The so-called Orange Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Defenders, whose aim is to wreck the peace process, have claimed dozens of attacks on ordinary Catholic families living in isolated areas, of which the attempted murder of 60-year-old Christine Shaw, whose husband was murdered six years ago.
Today, is the nationalist community expected to live with the fear of sectarian attacks the political process was designed to prevent?
In parallel, threats from the UVF are further proof that loyalist death squads are using the threat of a return to sectarian murders in an attempt to impose preconditions on the peace process. In this context, the comments made by Billy Hutchinson (PUP) that tourists and livestock in the 26 Co. could be targeted by loyalists are disgraceful and dangerous. They will no doubt give succour to the so-called Orange Volunteers and Red Hand Defenders who will interpret them as vindication for their attacks on nationalists.
The fact that the PUP is engaging in threats without being condemned also points out to the differences that lie ahead. It is not hard to imagine the resposne if a senior republican had said something similar.
In light of the concerted campaign to wreck the peace process, it is time for the Irish and British government to stand by their commitment and show clear and resolute leadership. Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair have to face the reality that they cannot follow the unionists' gameplan and walk away from the terms and letter of the Agreement.
Currently, too many aspects of the Agreement are failing to become reality. In the previous months and weeks, too many deadlines have slipped and created a sense of fear that the crisis surrounding the peace process will torpedo the whole Agreement. As the promises fail to materialise, the nationalist community is subject to a new campaign of loyalist murder attempts. It is time that David Trimble's obstructionist tactics be efficiently countered.
The 15 February Assembly meeting will be a crucial moment. As the Final document on the Assembly departments and All-Ireland bodies is put to vote, David Trimble must honour his commitment to recommend the report he has drafted with Seamus Mallon. Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair must then move in and ensure that the vote triggers the establishment of an Executive. Whatever problems the governments may currently encounter, the peace process must stay their priority and main focus.
Both governments have acknowledged in the past weeks that there is no precondition to Sinn Féin's entry into an Executive. David Trimble himself indicated two weeks ago that he was wrong when he stated that there was ``technically'' no obstacle for the formation of an Executive.
On the calendar of change, the next weeks must not be empty of progress. There is no excuse for all the people of the island not to see their hopes for a new and peaceful future fulfilled.
On the 1999 calendar, yet another week has been ticked and still no progress has been made. The peace process, already described as a ``pace process'', is hitting new obstacles. This week was not only characterised by an absence of moves to set up the Assembly Executive. A concerted campaign of actions aimed at wrecking the Agreement has further clarified David Trimble's politics of obstructionism.
As David Trimble threatens to ``park'' the process and refuses to honour his commitments to establish an Executive, allies of anti-Agreement unionists have attempted to jeopardise the dynamics of the political process.
The actors of this unholy alliance range from British Tory leader William Hague, through FAIT and the RUC, to the so-called Orange Volunteer Force.
Backed by two British Labour MPs, William Hague this week latched onto the issue of punishment beatings in nationalist areas and demanded an end to the early releases of POWs. The way in which the office of the British Secretary of State hyped a meeting that suddenly solely focused on the issue punishment beatings is another demonstration of bad faith.
In parallel, the RUC has continued to attempt to recruit informers, particularly in West Belfast.
A meeting between relatives of the eight men killed by British state forces and British minister Adam Ingram was also exploited for political purposes. Unionists who oppose the Agreement attempted to deny these victims legitimate recognition by calling for the cancellation of the meeing. The efforts to create controversy by No-camp unionists was simply unionist propaganda, carried out with the complicity of the British newswires who ran the story for six consecutive days in advance of Monday's meeting.
Meanwhile, the parents of murdered teenager Peter McBride are asked to accept that the two guardsmen who murdered their son benefit from ``exceptional circumstances'' and therefore are perfectly entitled to rejoin the British Army.
Suggestions by David Jones and the Orange Order that further demonstrations are to take place around the Garvaghy Road estate are yet another indication that the Orange Order are not serious about resolving Drumcree peacefully and no Unionist leader has spoken against their plans. By failing to stop a siege that has entered its 200th day, the British government is giving a green light to some of the most bitter opponents Agreement.
While the political vacuum persists, loyalist death squads have intensifed a campaign of sectarian attacks. The so-called Orange Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Defenders, whose aim is to wreck the peace process, have claimed dozens of attacks on ordinary Catholic families living in isolated areas, of which the attempted murder of 60-year-old Christine Shaw, whose husband was murdered six years ago.
Today, is the nationalist community expected to live with the fear of sectarian attacks the political process was designed to prevent?
In parallel, threats from the UVF are further proof that loyalist death squads are using the threat of a return to sectarian murders in an attempt to impose preconditions on the peace process. In this context, the comments made by Billy Hutchinson (PUP) that tourists and livestock in the 26 Co. could be targeted by loyalists are disgraceful and dangerous. They will no doubt give succour to the so-called Orange Volunteers and Red Hand Defenders who will interpret them as vindication for their attacks on nationalists.
The fact that the PUP is engaging in threats without being condemned also points out to the differences that lie ahead. It is not hard to imagine the resposne if a senior republican had said something similar.
In light of the concerted campaign to wreck the peace process, it is time for the Irish and British government to stand by their commitment and show clear and resolute leadership. Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair have to face the reality that they cannot follow the unionists' gameplan and walk away from the terms and letter of the Agreement.
Currently, too many aspects of the Agreement are failing to become reality. In the previous months and weeks, too many deadlines have slipped and created a sense of fear that the crisis surrounding the peace process will torpedo the whole Agreement. As the promises fail to materialise, the nationalist community is subject to a new campaign of loyalist murder attempts. It is time that David Trimble's obstructionist tactics be efficiently countered.
The 15 February Assembly meeting will be a crucial moment. As the Final document on the Assembly departments and All-Ireland bodies is put to vote, David Trimble must honour his commitment to recommend the report he has drafted with Seamus Mallon. Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair must then move in and ensure that the vote triggers the establishment of an Executive. Whatever problems the governments may currently encounter, the peace process must stay their priority and main focus.
Both governments have acknowledged in the past weeks that there is no precondition to Sinn Féin's entry into an Executive. David Trimble himself indicated two weeks ago that he was wrong when he stated that there was ``technically'' no obstacle for the formation of an Executive.
On the calendar of change, the next weeks must not be empty of progress. There is no excuse for all the people of the island not to see their hopes for a new and peaceful future fulfilled.