Posted on 07/28/2005 5:50:14 AM PDT by infocats
The leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign.
This will take effect from 4pm this afternoon.
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. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.
The IRA leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible.
We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and Catholic churches, to testify to this.
The Army Council took these decisions following an unprecedented internal discussion and consultation process with IRA units and Volunteers.
We appreciate the honest and forthright way in which the consultation process was carried out and the depth and content of the submissions. We are proud of the comradely way in which this truly historic discussion was conducted.
The outcome of our consultations show very strong support among IRA Volunteers for the Sinn Féin peace strategy.
There is also widespread concern about the failure of the two governments and the unionists to fully engage in the peace process. This has created real difficulties.
The overwhelming majority of people in Ireland fully support this process.
They and friends of Irish unity throughout the world want to see the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
Notwithstanding these difficulties our decisions have been taken to advance our republican and democratic objectives, including our goal of a united Ireland. We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this and to end British rule in our country.
It is the responsibility of all Volunteers to show leadership, determination and courage. We are very mindful of the sacrifices of our patriot dead, those who went to jail, Volunteers, their families and the wider republican base. We reiterate our view that the armed struggle was entirely legitimate.
We are conscious that many people suffered in the conflict. There is a compelling imperative on all sides to build a just and lasting peace.
The issue of the defence of nationalist and republican communities has been raised with us. There is a responsibility on society to ensure that there is no re-occurrence of the pogroms of 1969 and the early 1970s.
There is also a universal responsibility to tackle sectarianism in all its forms.
The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation.
We call for maximum unity and effort by Irish republicans everywhere.
We are confident that by working together Irish republicans can achieve our objectives.
Every Volunteer is aware of the import of the decisions we have taken and all Óglaigh are compelled to fully comply with these orders.
There is now an unprecedented opportunity to utilise the considerable energy and goodwill which there is for the peace process. This comprehensive series of unparalleled initiatives is our contribution to this and to the continued endeavours to bring about independence and unity for the people of Ireland.
The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation.
Our decisions have been taken to advance our republican and democratic objectives, including our goal of a united Ireland.
We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this and to end British rule in our country."
Does this mean they're also going to stop sending recruits to al Qaeda- and Palestian-sponsored terrorist training camps?
I guess it takes a bunch of unwashed camel-jockeys to finally give terrorism a bad name.
Sorry, but I think you've been listening to republican hype and grand predictions of Catholic population growth in Northern Ireland.
The 2001 census, results of which were released in December 2002, do not support republican claims (rapid growth in Catholic population, less than 50% Protestant population, etc.) The Protestant population is 54%, Catholic 44%. There was no significant increase in the Catholic population. In fact birth rates in both communites are falling. It will be decades before there is parity between the 2 communities.
Unless I am misunderstanding you, you need to make a distinction between the RIRA and the PIRA when you talk about links with Islamic terrorist groups. As far as I can remember the only links the Provos had to any Islamic groups was its relationship with Libya in the 80s.
Another take from http://www.eamonn.com/
Meanwhile, here's how Rainy Day chooses to remember the IRA. It's an anecdote from the June issue of Magill magazine:
"Joanna Mathers was just 25 years old in the spring of 1981. She was a first class honours graduate from Queen's University, married to a farmer, when she decided to earn some extra money by collecting census forms in Derry city. One evening, she was helping a family in Anderson's Crescent with their return when a masked man dashed up to the doorway. He wrenched the clipboard from her hands, put a gun to her head and fired. The young mother died at the scene.
The Provisional IRA at first denied any involvement. Its Derry brigade — led, at that time, by Martin McGuinness — claimed that Joanna's murder was 'an attempt to discredit the (electoral) campaign of Bobby Sands.'
Sands was bidding to become the Westminster MP for Fermanagh/South Tyrone, in a by-election that would, in time, radically transform the politics of Ireland. The IRA statement made no mention of 'securocrats' — the term had not yet been invented — but otherwise, the strategy of initially disclaiming certain acts of violence has become all too familiar. It emerged later that the weapon used to murder Joanna Mathers could be forensically linked to two punishment shootings that had been acknowledged by the Derry IRA. But that emerged only after Bobby Sands had been elected to Westminster."
The moral of the story? Never, ever believe anything that the IRA says. This is an ethnic-cleansing movement that has evolved to gangsterism in the course of 35 years. It is based on the fantasy that the Republic declared in 1916 is a reality and that the Treaty with Britain that was approved by the Dail in 1921 was illegitimate. Until this day, its mouthpiece, Sinn Fein, regards itself as the true expression of the will of the people of the island of Ireland. We're dealing here with an organization suffering from an extreme case of schizophrenia. It's in the light of this delusional state that its statement must be read.
Some years back when the violence abated (if not fully ended), Ireland's economy (which had been a basket case) leaped forward into the 21st. century and they are currently doing spectacularly well.
Would that all terroristas heed this lesson that violence does not work (at least over the long haul) and that peace and reconciliation is the only true path to a generalized prosperity for all in a global economy.
"Never, ever believe anything that the IRA says."
Except when they can no longer reach into the deep pockets of New York and Boston. Its all over. Even in the most die hard reaches of Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx the IRA has lost its cheering section. Its over - whether all of the organization realizes it is another matter.
well, you're wrong. Recent arrests in Israel and Columbia of RIRA members prove that you are not up to date on your terrorism activities :)
That was my thought, too. The IRA has provided said camel-jockeys with lots of training, too; the IRA's best bombmaker was arrested in Brazil a couple of years ago, where he had gone to train FARC and Islamic militants.
Still, it would be nice if the IRA would just quit this stuff right now - at least that would be one less to worry about.
It essentially consisted of a bunch of semi-delusional old bums sitting around a pub trading "war" stories, most of which were wholly-or partially-fictitious.
It struck me-at the time-as something that wouldn't have been out of place in The Iceman Cometh.
Pitiable really.
Plain and simple - the IRA are terrorists and traitors to both Irish and British Democracy. They are an illegal (and unconstitutional) organisation - Adams, McGuinness and co. should be arrested and charged with membership of an illegal (and unconstitutional) organisation, 'Slieveen' should have his Dail seat revoked (can be done), and the Garda Siochana should swoop on all known IRA members (shoot them if necessary, in fact shoot them anyway), and while we are at it - break off diplomatic links with Cuba and Venezuela!
I do not buy this crap for one minute! < /ranting and raving >
BTW, I had to laugh at Martin Manseragh today describing as: "one of the World's most famous insurrectionary groups", It's 'insurgency' in any case, and actually they are one of the most infamous terrorist groups, shut up Fianna Fail idiot!
Please re-read my posts and then look at yours. You just said arrest of RIRA members. They are not the same as the Provos. There is a difference.
I'm with you, screw the IRA, but where's the picture chart of the Catholics who were hung by Protestant terrorists for the crime of attending Mass?
If you have it then by all means post it.
Thank You!
Nice homepage.
Your welcome!!
Nice homepage.
Thanks, it needs a brush up, though - need add a heap of IRA related links!
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