‘Colombia Three’ fugitives still ‘missing’ – ISN
August 11th, 2005
DERRY – The three Irish Republican Army (IRA) men who re-emerged in Ireland eight months after disappearing from Colombia, where they were due to face 17 years in prison, remain missing in Ireland.
There whereabouts of Niall Connolly, James Monaghan, and Martin McCauley – dubbed “The Colombian Trio” – are still unknown six days after they revealed their return to an Irish television station.
The men were sentenced to 17 years in prison in Colombia, convicted after an initial acquittal was overturned of training leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and of travelling on false passports.
The Colombian vice-president and unionist parties in Northern Ireland have called for the men to be extradited to Colombia to face their sentences. (more…)
DUP to stall peace talks – ISN
August 5th, 2005
DERRY – Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party has threatened to delay talks on restarting the stalled peace process.
Meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday in London, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) outlined its position on political talks aimed at restoring the devolved government to Belfast.
DUP leader Reverend Ian Paisley said the party would require a “prolonged period of assessment” to ascertain whether the Irish Republican Army (IRA) had truly given up its armed campaign. He called for “total decommissioning that everyone can be satisfied with”. (more…)
Britain to halve troops in N Ireland – ISN
August 3rd, 2005
Derry – The British government has announced a radical overhaul of its military and security structure in Northern Ireland, pledging to halve its troops to just over 5,000, end army support for the police, and close down 26 of 40 army sites.
The move follows an announcement last week by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) that it would end its 30-year campaign to end British rule in Northern Ireland.
On Tuesday, Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, said the British government’s pledged would be “achievable within two years” provided the “enabling environment is established and maintained”. “Enabling environment” is code for the disarming of the IRA. (more…)
IRA to end armed campaign – ISN
July 29th, 2005
BELFAST – In what is being described as a historic move, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) on Thursday announced an end its armed campaign to end British rule in Northern Ireland.
The announcement was read by a former IRA prisoner, and stated,
“All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programs through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.”
The statement called for two independent witnesses – a Catholic and Protestant clergyman – to act as independent witnesses to the destruction or “decommissioning” of the IRA’s arsenal.
The statement described an internal consensus that the goal of a united Ireland could be now achieved through conventional political means, but reaffirmed the IRA view that “the armed struggle was entirely legitimate”. (more…)
Loyalist parades turn violent – ISN
July 13th, 2005
DERRY -Eighty police were injured last night as violence erupted in a Catholic-nationalist area of north Belfast after a day of Protestant Orange Order parades throughout Northern Ireland.
Tensions were high in the run-up to the parade through the mainly nationalist Ardoyne area of north Belfast. While the morning parade passed off peacefully, the return of the Orangemen through the area on Tuesday evening proved troublesome.
Last year, British Army units were attacked by nationalist rioters alleging a heavy-handed response to peaceful protests at the Orange Order march through the Ardoyne.
No army units were deployed to Ardoyne this year. However, efforts by Sinn Féin – the political party linked to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) – to ensure that nationalist youths were restrained during the marches do not appear to have been completely successful. (more…)
Unionists choose new leader – ISN
June 27th, 2005
DERRY – Sir Reg Empey was elected as the new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) on Friday, after gaining 53 per cent of the party vote in the second ballot, replacing the David Trimble as the embattled party’s head.
Empey, a member of Northern Ireland’s suspended legislative assembly, succeeds Nobel Laureate Trimble, who resigned after the UUP’s heavy defeat at the May General election.
After his victory in Friday’s ballot, Empey said he would remain as leader for no more than five years. (more…)
Two arrested for McCartney murder -ISN
June 2nd, 2005
DERRY – The British police arrested two men on Wednesday in connection with the January murder of Robert McCartney in Belfast.
A 49-year-old man was detained in Belfast. The other, aged 36, was arrested in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, follow-up searches have been taking place in the Markets area of Belfast, close to where the killing took place.
McCartney was murdered on 31 January outside a pub near the Catholic-nationalist Short Strand enclave in East Belfast.
The murder was blamed on members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), three of whom were expelled after the paramilitary group conducted an internal investigation. (more…)
EU approves McCartney civil action funds – ISN
May 11th, 2005
DERRY – The European Parliament on Tuesday voted to provide funds to the family of Robert McCartney, who was murdered in Belfast in January by members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), for their quest for justice in the controversial case.
In an unprecedented move, a large majority of European parliamentarians voted to fund a possible civil action by the family, should the current criminal case continue to falter. (more…)
Hardliners win big in election – ISN
May 9th, 2005
DERRY – As expected, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has emerged as the big winner in Northern Ireland of the UK general election on 5 May.
Friday’s results saw the party led by preacher Ian Paisley gain three seats. The DUP increased its vote share by 11 per cent over the 2001 election results to become the largest Northern Irish party at Westminister, taking half of the 18 seats representing the province.
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), historically the main representative of pro-British sentiment in Northern Ireland, lost four of its five seats, including the constituency of party leader and 1998 Nobel Peace Prize winner David Trimble.
In response to the crushing defeat, Trimble resigned as party leader on Saturday afternoon. (more…)
Moderates in a pinch – ISN
May 4th, 2005
Citizens of the United Kingdom will be voting in two very different elections on Thursday – one in Britain over issues like the invasion of Iraq, immigration, education, and economic policy, and a second one in Northern Ireland
By Simon Roughneen in Derry for ISN Security Watch
When the Queen’s subjects go to the polls on Thursday, they will essentially be voting in two very different elections. The three main political parties on the British mainland have campaigned on issues such as the legality of the US-British invasion of Iraq, immigration policy, education, and leadership personalities, while the polls in Northern Ireland will feature an entirely different set of actors and factors.
In April, a delegation from the recently elected provincial legislature of Basra, Iraq visited Belfast and Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland’s two largest cities, to learn about how a divided society functions. For the prime minister’s advisers, the visit from Basra is an opportunity to put a positive spin on Tony Blair’s unpopular decision to participate in the US-led invasion of Iraq (more…)
