Irish News, October 6, 2005
IRA initiative strengthens peace process
"The IRA's initiative benefits everyone because it strengthens the peace
process.
Unionist leaders should feel empowered by the IRA's huge gesture and lead
their people forward."
by Jim Gibney
The day after the IRA's decision to put their arms beyond use I met a
republican whose family, one of many, paid a heavy price during the war.
Over 30 years ago he was interned. His wife was left to bring up their young
family.
During the war years three of his sons were gaoled, one lived on the run;
one was shot dead by the British army while on IRA active service.
A short time after his son was killed his son's wife gave birth to a baby
boy. The boy grew up not knowing his father except through the memories of
others.
The republican said it was "days like these" that were the hardest to bear
his loss. He accepted and supported the IRA's arms decision but emotionally
wished there was another way.
A middle-aged republican in the IRA most of his life and who had spent years
behind bars said his stomach turned when he heard General de Chastelain say
he handled and counted IRA weapons before they were put beyond use.
He had been trained by the IRA that their guns were their domain and no one
else's.
For him it was an article of faith.
He too accepted reluctantly the IRA's decision.
Another republican told me he felt "initiative fatigue" that the IRA had to
do all the "heavy lifting" with no corresponding response from the British
and Irish governments or the unionist parties.
I met many republicans over the last week. Their overwhelming feeling was
one of unease.
Gerry Adams summed up the republican mood when he said people's reaction to
the IRA's arms move was "like a long awaited death in a family, when it came
along it was still a gunk".
These are difficult days for republicans, of that there is no doubt but they
are also days of great hope, opportunity and expectation and republicans
instinctively know this.
The IRA's decision to put their arms beyond use was warmly received in
government circles in Dublin, London and Washington.
The decision has given the flagging peace process the boost it badly needed.
It has created an atmosphere of possibility among most of the political
parties a positive sign itself; an opportunity to move forward to break the
political logjam.
The unionists, indispensable partners in the search for peace, continue to
be in disarray.
The DUP elected on a 'decisive leadership' ticket displayed nothing but
indecision and retreated into their unreal world blaming everyone as they
went.
They started off claiming the IRA had duped de Chastelain, the two
independent eyewitnesses and the whole affair was a 'cover-up' involving the
British and Irish governments.
When this conspiracy theory instantly crash landed they questioned the
integrity of the eyewitnesses only to speedily drop this when it provoked a
backlash.
Then they demanded from the British government an 'inventory' of what the
intelligence agencies believed was in the IRA's arsenal.
A firm 'no' from British secretary of state Peter Hain saw them drop this
demand and move to question the IRA's right to exist as an organisation.
By the week's end their lame excuse for not talking to Sinn Féin was the
latest manufactured myth – IRA 'criminality'.
DUP watchers tried in vain to find a positive message in the deluge of
invective.
None could be found as the DUP slowly painted themselves into a corner.
At this momentous time the UUP divested themselves of their new leader Reg
Empey and left it to MLA Danny Kennedy to adroitly step through the week. He
tried with some success to position the UUP away from the DUP; less caution
would have served the occasion and his party better.
At probably the most defining point in the history of the last 40 years the
unionist people are bereft of confident, positive leaders.
It can be otherwise.
Although the IRA arms move was unilateral unionists should not view it as
partisan.
They repeatedly called on the IRA to address the issue of their arms. They
have done so convincingly.
The IRA's initiative benefits everyone because it strengthens the peace
process.
Unionist leaders should feel empowered by the IRA's huge gesture and lead
their people forward.
