UDA says it ‘will not leave stage’
The Ulster Defence Association has said it still exists and will not be going away, amid ongoing efforts to assess the structure of any paramilitary bodies still operating in Northern Ireland.
The statement was made in The Loyalist magazine, insisting: “The UDA are still in existence and won’t be leaving any stage whilst Republicans of any faction still exist.
It adds: “The organisation was set up with the protection of their community at its heart and this we will maintain.”
In the wake of police assessments regarding the potential involvement of Provisional IRA members in the murder of Kevin McGuigan in Belfast, Stormont has been brought to the point of collapse.
The political fallout continues, with talks still ongoing weeks after the walkout of the DUP and UUP from the Northern Ireland Executive.
On Tuesday, Sinn Féin responded to the UDA statement by asking unionist leaders where their outrage was over the continued existence of loyalist paramilitaries.
MLA Chris Hazzard claimed their silence was “in deafening contrast” to the reaction to claims regarding the PIRA.
“This is the same UDA whose political wing unionism stood shoulder to shoulder with, in an effort to force an Orange march through a nationalist community,” he said.
“Perhaps that’s why there are no statements or social media posts from the DUP or UUP on the UDA’s continued existence.
“Or maybe it’s just that they don’t care when it comes to unionist paramilitaries.”
A three-person panel created to assess paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland has previously been welcomed by DUP acting First Minister Arlene Foster.
“We think it will be a fuller assessment than we’ve had thus far and hopefully it will be helpful to the process,” she said.
Lord Carlile of Berriew, Rosalie Flanagan and Stephen Shaw QC have been appointed to the panel by Secretary of State Theresa Villiers.
UTV understands that PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton has now met with them, as a source described work on the panel’s report as entering a “critical stage”.
In his latest UTV blog, security journalist Brian Rowan said: “The PSNI briefing for the panel is likely to take the form of sharing secret/sensitive information under controlled circumstances, and then consideration of how much of that can go into the political and public realm.
“The report is expected to be discussed within the talks next week.”
"Inside the Stormont talks, old issues have become new problems" – Read the latest from @BrianPJRowan http://t.co/7RHQP901Hv
— UTV Live News (@UTVNews) October 6, 2015
Speaking to UTV on Monday, Prime Minister David Cameron said he believes there is a will among the politicians to solve the problems.
He said: “You can’t have politicians that are holding a ballot box in one hand and a gun in the other, in any shape or form.
“So we’ve got to sort these issues.”
Meanwhile, the political parties have been reacting to the draft legislation on dealing with the past, which has been circulated among them.
The document – which was leaked to Brian Rowan and is detailed in his blog – gives information on the setting up of the Historical Investigations Unit, or HIU, which is one of the bodies proposed under the Stormont House Agreement.
Sinn Féin and the SDLP have raised concerns over elements of it, but UTV’s Political Correspondent Tracey Magee said each of the parties have issues.
“This legislation details how the Historical Investigations Unit would be set up and operate,” Tracey explained.
“It’s fair to say all the parties would have issues with it, but the nationalist parties were particularly unhappy due to repeated references to national security.”
She added: “The suggestion that the Secretary of State could prevent information being handed over to the HIU if it was deemed to be sensitive or prejudicial …
“Under the terms of the Stormont House Agreement, there was supposed to be full disclosure – certainly that is how it is described.
“Sinn Féin said today, as far as they are concerned, it is about preventing the truth being put out.
