Republican News · Thursday 12 September 2002

Exclusive IRA interview

Army puts onus on British

In its most wide-ranging and comprehensive interview of recent times, the IRA gives its assessment of the peace process, where it believes the difficulties lie and how progress can be made.

It also deals with issues as diverse as sectarian violence, the loyalist commission, the unionist suggestion for a ceasefire auditor and the allegations around Colombia and Castlereagh.

The IRA restates its commitment to the search for peace and the spokesperson for the IRA leadership praises the discipline and dedication of IRA Volunteers.

It believes that "sections of the British military and its intelligence agencies, including the Special Branch, are still at war", and that the "leadership of unionism" and "elements within the British establishment" are working to create another crisis.

The British government has to face up to this reality and demonstrate the political will necessary to meet this challenge. That means the British government "must honour their commitments and obligations".

The IRA spokesperson expresses concern at the British government's approach to unionism and acknowledges that many nationalists and republicans are weary of the failure of "sections of unionism and the unionist leaderships to accept equality and change".

In the interview, the IRA representative states its fundamental opposition to sectarianism and sectarian violence. The army welcomes any genuine efforts to end this violence but points the finger at the securocrats and Special Branch, who run agents, particularly within the UDA, as the prime movers and instigators of this.

Dealing with the unionist proposal for a ceasefire auditor, the IRA accuses British intelligence agencies of indulging in disinformation. It asks who will monitor the British forces and warns that this proposal will only be used "to serve the interests of those opposed to change".

It reiterates its rejection of allegations around the raid on the Special Branch office in Castlereagh and describes its recent apology as "the right thing to do".

The IRA repeats again that the leadership sent no one to Colombia to train or engage in any military cooperation with any group and calls for the release of the three men.

Finally, the IRA restates its commitment to see an end to partition and the establishment of an Irish republic that guarantees equal rights and religious liberty.

(Read the interview in full)