Scorn the Orange Card
By Laurence McKeown
David Adams of the UDP, speaking on the radio this
morning, raised the possibility that perhaps people
have been under-estimating the strength and breadth of
organisation of the LVF.
This follows the killing of Larry Brennan on the Ormeau
Road, Fergal McCusker in Maghera, Terry Enright in the
city centre, Séamus Dillon in Dungannon and Ed Treanor
in the Oldpark. Come on ahead David, who are you trying
to kid? Everyone from Ronnie Flanagan to the dogs in
the street knows the LVF is rural-based, primarily in
mid-Ulster where they no doubt killed Seamus Dillon,
with some members in South Down and North Antrim. The
entire command of the LVF in Belfast could hold their
meetings in a phone box. So it doesn't take a genius to
work out who's behind these killings.
However, it doesn't do to say that because your party
might have difficulty remaining in the talks. Not that
I would like to see you put out of the talks; I think
it better your party is there than left outside. And of
course Mr Trimble will ensure that you do remain. After
all, that is the unholy alliance that has been made,
isn't it? Unless and until, of course, Mr Trimble can
form an alternative arrangement with the SDLP. He's
been trying for long enough and I'm sure was fairly
optimistic before Christmas that Seamus Mallon was
finally going to grant him this wish. I've no doubt
that at that point he would have washed his hands of
you, and your prisoners also.
Maybe you should ask Mr Trimble to detail his party's
contribution to the debate on prisoner releases at
Stormont as part of the confidence building measures?
Seeing as how he feels so concerned for their welfare.
I believe he spent most of his time attacking the
proposals put forward by the other parties and had
nothing to offer from his own party. (They left the
rope at home.) I know that sort of conflicts with the
image of the high-powered delegation from the UUP which
visited the UDA/UFF prisoners in the Kesh - a
delegation that would not have been out of place on the
steps of Downing Street. But then, when has
inconsistency bothered Mr Trimble?
But you see, David, alliances of convenience have a
dreadful history of ultimately collapsing. On the other
hand, the tactic of `no claim, no blame' has a shelf
life. What then of the UDP? Personally, I sympathise
with you if you have to conduct a political analysis of
the way forward with those `whose thinking your party
is said to have an insight into'. I thought the mural
that Johnny Adair stood under for the cameras summed up
their thoughts on the situation, as it was meant to,
`Kill `em all, let God sort `em out'. That is their
thinking after all, isn't it? You've got a handful on
your plate there, David.
The problem is, and you should point this out to them
(preferably from a distance, for your own safety), they
can't kill us all. It's fantasy land. I know that at
times like this there is fear in the nationalist
community given the random nature of the killings. But
there is also anger. More importantly, there is
determination, clear thinking, political awareness of
what is happening and why, and a conviction that it
will not be allowed to succeed.
We're not living in the 60s now David, or even the 70s
when the Orange Card being played meant the game was
over, the takings collected. Now when its produced it's
instantly recognised as an Orange Card, and that's no
good if you're trying to call a bluff, or ill-prepared
for what cards your opponents might hold.
There's too many have been playing the game for too
long now to be put off by sleight of hand, or mock
gestures, or threats. In fact, it has been played so
clumsily this time it's almost embarrassing. If we were
to avert our gaze for a moment would you retract it? Or
should we just rip it up so it can't be played again?
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