The IRA Disarmes

[RedCeltic]

In a move that should save the Northern Irleland Peace process from immediate and total collapse, the IRA indicated that it had initiated it's long awaited decommissioning of weapons. The following is the statement given by the IRA.. and printed here in New York by a local Irish American newspaper IRISH ECHO...

The IRA Statement

The IRA is committed to our republican objectives, and to the establishment of a united Ireland based on justice, equality and freedom.

In August 1994, against the backdrop of lengthy and intensive discussions, involving the two governments and others, the leadership of the IRA called a complete cessation of military operations in order to create the dynamic for peace process.
“Decommissioning” was no part of that. There was no ambiguity about this. Unfortunately there are those within the British establishment and leadership of unionism who are fundamentally opposed to change. At every opportunity they have used the issue of arms as an excuse to undermine and frustrate progress.

It was for this reason that decommissioning was introduced to the process by the British government. It has been used since to prevent the changes which a lasting peace requires. In order to overcome this and to encourage the changes necessary for a lasting peace, the leadership of Oglaigh da h’Ereann has taken a number of substantial initiatives.

These include our engagement with the IICD and the inspection of a number of arms dumps by the two International Inspectors, Cyril Ramaphosa and Martti Ahtisaari.

No one should doubt the difficulties these initiatives cause for us, or volunteers and our support base. The political process is now on the point of collapse. Such a collapse would certainly and eventually put the overall peace process in jeopardy. There is a responsibility upon everyone seriously committed to a just peace to do our best to avoid this. Therefore, in order to save the peace process we have implemented a scheme agreed with the IICD in August. Our motivation is clear. This unprecedented move is to save the peace process and to persuade others of our genuine intentions.

[gooddoctor]

i think it's disgusting to see loyalists and unionists coming out and denouncing this historic move by the ira because it is politically damaging to their cause. all civilised people must support this new step towards peace which will allow for real debate on the irish question and a new focus on the issues rather than the violence. under this new climate people will become either loyalists or republicans not because of religious or community allegiances, but on the basis of the actual issues involved. i am in no doubt that it will lead to the long-delayed return of ireland to its people.

(Edited by gooddoctor at 11:24 pm on Oct. 26, 2001)

[RedCeltic]

Yes Goodoctor, I think a breakdown of peace negotiations would be a tragedy. If decommisioning is the only way to keep the peace negotiantion open, than they have very little choice otherwise. Now the Unionists will be forced to focus on the issues at hand... and actually listen to the republicans, and not just complain about arms and decommisioning all the time.

It comes with mixed fealings however... while some of us think it will force the Unionists to listen, and help the peace process to continue... others think it takes away any reason to listen to them now.

However, I believe as you so elequently said, " i am in no doubt that it will lead to the long-delayed return of ireland to its people. "

[Anonymous]

ah but what about the "real IRA"
Are they not a treat to peace?

[celticsocialist]

The republicans will not make any progress through giving up arms. If anything hardline unionists will see this as a huge victory for the brits. Unfortunately I can only see 2 possible ways for Eire to be reunited. When Scotland goes its own way from the UK and then is followed by Wales there will be no union to belong to. As for the other way, well it hasnt been to effective so far.

[vox]

Hope springs eternal, as they say.

It's a gutsy move, to be sure. There is a very cynical part of me, however, that thinks that nothing is going to change.

RedCeltic, I'm interested to know if you see this conflict more in terms of religion or class. Despite what Hollywood may say, I can't believe that "Far and Away" could ever have happened, that an elite Protestant would ever go for a working-class Catholic. I, of course, see more of a class conflict, coupled with imperialism, than anything else. What's your take on it?

vox

[celticsocialist]

I don`t think it is either a class war or religious war. Although religion appears to play a part in it, it is really only a way to identify one side from the other ie republican,catholic ,nationalist or protestant, british, unionist.
As for class, these days the unionist community is in general not much better off than the republican community. I have been to the North and somewhere like West Belfast is not really any better than the Bogside in Derry.
Essentially the war is about land. The republicans want the North to be reunited with the South and Ireland to be 32 counties. The unionists want Ulster to remain British.
When the first presbyterian Scots arrived in Ulster, the Anglican gentry of the time thought that they were no better than the catholic Irish but needed them on their side as the Republican movement grew.

[revolutionary spirit]

i'm irish and have had members of my family do time for be part of the I.R.A and i'd say it is a class war intertwined with relgion.The working class saw similarties that must of them were cathloic and it was the rich protestant who evicted them from their lands.But both can use their relgious divide for support,that fellow working class protestants living in the UK would support their fellow protestants.But bascially i'd say it stems from a class division

[gooddoctor]

that sounds about right. people are simply born in a certain community and then tribalism takes over their hearts and minds as they are growing up. it's simply their way of life and the origins are lost in the mists of time. it's pretty sad because the only people whose interests the conflict is serving is the british government. man, why do western imperialists always seem to be the only ones who benefit from violence and division?

[RedCeltic]

Quote: from celticsocialist on 3:17 pm on Oct. 28, 2001
I don`t think it is either a class war or religious war. Although religion appears to play a part in it, it is really only a way to identify one side from the other ie republican,catholic ,nationalist or protestant, british, unionist.
As for class, these days the unionist community is in general not much better off than the republican community. I have been to the North and somewhere like West Belfast is not really any better than the Bogside in Derry.
Essentially the war is about land. The republicans want the North to be reunited with the South and Ireland to be 32 counties. The unionists want Ulster to remain British.
When the first presbyterian Scots arrived in Ulster, the Anglican gentry of the time thought that they were no better than the catholic Irish but needed them on their side as the Republican movement grew.


Vox... CelticSocialist pritty much summed up what I would have said here... I was going to reply before and had a connetion falure... and never got around to posting on this thread again... but anyway.... what CelticSocialist said is how I view it.

Also, earlier he pointed out the fealing many Irish Americans have expressed on the issue of disarming the IRA. With the IRA being a non threat... will they now loose any reason for their cause to be heard? And disarming the IRA will do nothing to stop the Unionist terrorist attacks, and their violent protests on school
childeren. Disarming may or may not bring about more peace negotiantions... however it will do nothing to stop the violence being done to republican supporters by Unionists.