What next for loyalism?

Unionist paramilitaries are under immense pressure to follow Thursday’s announcement by the Provisional IRA by stating that they will call an end to all paramilitary and criminal activity.

Heavy feuding between rival loyalist groups have lead to a space of recent attacks, including two murders.

Unionists paramilitaries are also intent on raising tensions ahead of a republican parade to mark the anniversary of internment in Ballymena.

The UDA has been blamed for a spate of sectarian attacks against nationalists in the area. The parade, to mark the anniversary of internment, is scheduled to take place on August 9.

UDA ‘brigadier’ Jackie McDonald said his organisation would be suspicious of what republicans had received from the British government in response to yesterday’s announcement.

“[Republicans] must believe we are within touching distance of a united Ireland,” he said.

“You can’t blame the unionist and loyalist community. They have to treat this with great suspicion.”

The former loyalist prisoner warned that any move towards a united Ireland would have the potential to plunge the north into a new era of violence: “If there was any plan in the next number of years... to bring about a united Ireland, loyalism and unionism would rebel against it.”

Mr McDonald was also sceptical that the IRA would decommission all its weapons.

“As a loyalist, what the IRA does with weapons decommissioning does not bother me, because I know that they will still have enough manpower left to deal with any situation that arises.

“The hawks (in the IRA) would not have it any other way. The most important thing is that the weapons are not being used.”

Progressive Unionist Party leader David Ervine, linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force welcomed the IRA statement.

“It is the first time the IRA has front-loaded and done something first rather than waiting on others to act,” he said.

“The statement is unambiguous, something previous IRA documents have never been.

“It effectively confirms the war is over and it also pledges that the IRA will divest itself of its weapons.”

Senior UVF figure Bobby Morton has called for the UVF to also decommission its weapons.

Mr Morton said the UVF had “some difficult decisions” to make.

“I cannot possibly envisage the IRA getting rid of its guns and stopping the war and the UVF retaining its weapons”.

Urgent Appeal