Irish Republican News and Information - http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ - 6. November 2001

Anti-Agreement anger as Trimble is finally elected

After five days of political uncertainty at the Belfast Assembly, the latest crisis in the peace process -- and some hope the last -- ended with the election of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble as First Minister.

The leader-elect of the nationalist SDLP, Mark Durkan was also voted in as Deputy First Minister after both men secured a majority of unionist Assembly members along with a majority of nationalists.

Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan failed in a bid to get elected in the Assembly last Friday under cross community voting rules despite attracting the support of over 70% of Assembly members.

Two rebel Ulster Unionist Assembly members, Peter Weir and Pauline Armitage opposed their leader, denying his election by one vote.

However the Assembly's decision today to allow three members of the cross community Alliance Party to temporarily re-designate as unionists enabled Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan to overtake the 30 hardline unionists opposed to their election. The move prevents a fresh Assembly election, which had appeared inevitable following Friday's vote.

The final vote was 32 of those designated as unionists in favour, 30 against. All 38 nationalists present voted in favour of the motion. One rebel UUP Assembly member, Pauline Armitage, was not present, for reasons which are still not clear.

Earlier a bid by the anti-Agrement Democratic Unionist Party to delay the election of First and Deputy First Ministers for the second day running by lodging a petition of concern was ruled out of order by Assembly Speaker Lord Alderdice.

Scuffles broke out between anti-agreement Unionists and pro- agreement supporters outside the chamber as Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan prepared for a press conference after the vote.

Pushing and shoving took place after anti-agreement unionists shouted "cheats" at the two men as they prepared to face journalists.

Angry clashes broke out in the main hall of Stormont as David Trimble and Mark Durkan took up their positions as First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

As the two men spoke to the media, DUP members shouted "traitor" and "cheat".

A scuffle broke out between the DUP's Paul Berry and the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell but jostling spread to involve a number of Asembly members.

SDLP Assembly member Dr Alasdair McDonnell was pulled away by members of his party from the DUP's Mr Paul Berry, it was reported. Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey was also caught in the melee.

A shaken Dr McDonnell said that he was trying to stay on his feet adding: "Somebody came lurching at me and I resisted his weight," he said.

"I felt people coming at me then feet being kicked, elbows and jostling.

DUP leader Ian Paisley claimed that a member of the SDLP provoked the ugly exchange by punching a member of his party. "The time has come to name the people, whom they saw quite clearly start the trouble."

But it was clear the DUP anger had simply boiled over. Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said "the DUP enjoyed themselves on Friday but they did not enjoy themselves today and that resulted in the unseemly scenes we saw today."

Mr Sean Farren, an SDLP minister at the Assembly, claimed the DUP was to blame for the flare-up.

"They may have had some success in the past. What we witnessed was their anger and frustration, but it also demonstrated the vast majority of people will not be defeated by bully boy tactics."

Mr Trimble later denounced the clashes which he claimed showed other parties' ugly side.

He said: "We will not allow ourselves to be distracted by the sort of mob violence some parties descended to."