IRA Announcement

During the week the Irish Republican Army (IRA) announced an end to their use of violence as a means to force political change in the province: -

“The leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann (IRA) has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign.

“This will take effect from 4pm this afternoon (Thursday). 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.” Read more…

While this news must be welcomed, questions still remain over the violent bank robbery in Belfast last December, and the real reason for the cessation of violence. It is clear that on September 11th 2001 the political mood in the United States changed, and the American attitude towards Irish Republicanism soured.

Historically on St. Patrick’s Day Sinn Fein have been invited to the Whitehouse, however this year President Bush snubbed Gerry Adams and his cronies. Read more… Such was outrage at the murder of Robert McCartney, 33, in January, the US government could no longer be seen to be supporting terrorism of any kind. This change of mood has led to the IRA re-evaluating its strategy of paramilitary violence and the attacks on civilians. No doubt the funding from the States, and the favourable support will have dried up since the attacks in New York (a centre of Republican sympathy) 4 years ago.

This announcement should be seen as the disingenuous PR job that it is, Gerry Adams will undoubtedly use it to score political points and attempt to gain some political credibility and legitimacy. The IRA has consistently used violence even when the British government have opened dialogue with its political wing; civilians have died while Gerry Adams was at the table talking peace.

Let’s welcome this announcement but lets not allow Sinn Fein to gain politically from it, and lets have some honest criticism of all sides on the Northern Ireland peace process.