EAMON COLLINS ON REAL IRA
What action does a former IRA man think should be taken against the Real IRA? Here EAMON COLLINS, who has turned his back on violence,
says they should face selective internment - more humane than the wrath of the Provisionals
CAN THE dissidents be reasoned with to call off permanently the dogs of war who murdered our womanhood, young men and children in Omagh?
Or are they beyond reason, and if they are, what is the alternative open to the British and Irish governments who must be seen to govern?
They must be seen to govern because they have achieved what no previous administration at Stormont, at Westminster or in the Dail ever achieved, and that is political consensus north and south.
But, most significantly, they have the support of the and most lethal para-groups, the Provisional IRA and the UVF.
And if both governments have the consensus of all the people what option is left open to them, when they are faced with a crisis that only the worst excesses of Nazism and the insecurity this vile philosophy created in society is comparable with our present malaise?
Is it to be selective internment? If 28 Catholics had been murdered by renegade, maverick loyalists and 200 had been injured, would there be anyone in the nationalist community opposed to internment?
The former Taoiseach, Gareth FitzGerald, when interviewed for the World At One earlier this week, was asked about the practical implications of introducing selective internment in the south; he almost intellectu-alised the concept out of existence.
It could, he said, undermine the republican leadership wedded to the peace process by making them appear to be on the side of the State. Well, whose side are they on if not the State's when they accepted the Good Friday Agreement?
It could create sympathy and give a new sense of martyrdom to the dissidents. In fact, you might not be able to find them. And so he went on dithering and withering, and the people would continue to die if every reason for not taking affirmative action were followed.
If anyone said that had we introduced selective internment after 33 civilians were injured in Banbridge with a dissident bomb and it would save the lives of 28 people, would we still intellectualise and dither?
Does anyone remember the IPLO (Irish People's Liberation Organisation)? This dissident, breakaway group from the INLA began to recruit, arm, train and organise for 'war'.
But during their period of gestation there was a feud and it was bloody.
One member of the organisation was machine-gunned on a bus in west Belfast after a GAA game, in front of women and children. His fingers, which he raised to protect his face, were cut off by the fuselage of machine pistol fire; bullets were bouncing everywhere and women and children dived for cover.
And so it continued and it appeared the IPLO was shaping up to the Provisionals. However, the Provisionals responded, and in what is known in west Belfast as the "night of the long knives" one IPLO man was shot dead in Short Strand, several more were critically injured and the rest were knee-capped, forced into hiding and exile, and effectively closed down.
A leading Provisional travelled to Dublin and met with the chief of staff of the IPLO. He was given no real choice but a mandate which ensured all IPLO arms, property and sundry investments were handed over.
That was the price the IPLO leadership paid for their lives. There was no other point of negotiation. They did not operate again and won't - because they know the strength of the Provisionals!
The Provos have still got that strength and more. They now have an electoral mandate invested by the people in their political leadership, who have dropped political violence in favour of a united Ireland by political persuasion within the democratic process, and have made an historic accommodation to do so.
I once (wrongly) insulted the president of Sinn Fein and was faced with dismissal from the republican movement even though I apologised.
The dissidents have insulted, attempted to subvert, and bring down the present IRA leadership and the Sinn Fein Party by a campaign that is clearly directed at their long term and genuine efforts for peace.
After Omagh if I were a former quartermaster general, or any of his minions, relaxing in Dundalk I would be very frightened, especially if a leading Sinn Fein group had asked me to come in from the cold and accept the new reality of peace and real politics.
But a Dundalk man who never experienced the reality of life in the north and has never seen active service in more than a quarter of a century is hard to convince. The mediators can only say they tried. And he, whether for egotistical reasons or love of Mother Ireland and blood sacrifice, has refused.
And what now? Members of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, political apologists for the 'Real' IRA which carried out the massacre, deny any involvement, but failed to condemn the worst human atrocity and tragedy in our recent history, which by this arrogant gesture is an admission of guilt.
The dead pregnant mothers and the limbless children, talented teenagers and humble grieving relatives of the dead have failed to move them.
Who will they kill next? Me for criticising them or you for being in their way when they want to explode a bomb? All I can say is damn them, damn them to hell, them and their stinking hypocrisy.
There is a stark choice facing them - selective internment or the wrath of the Provisionals. The State's response would be more humane, more than they deserve, more than 28 dead and 200 injured were afforded by them!
says they should face selective internment - more humane than the wrath of the Provisionals
CAN THE dissidents be reasoned with to call off permanently the dogs of war who murdered our womanhood, young men and children in Omagh?
Or are they beyond reason, and if they are, what is the alternative open to the British and Irish governments who must be seen to govern?
They must be seen to govern because they have achieved what no previous administration at Stormont, at Westminster or in the Dail ever achieved, and that is political consensus north and south.
But, most significantly, they have the support of the and most lethal para-groups, the Provisional IRA and the UVF.
And if both governments have the consensus of all the people what option is left open to them, when they are faced with a crisis that only the worst excesses of Nazism and the insecurity this vile philosophy created in society is comparable with our present malaise?
Is it to be selective internment? If 28 Catholics had been murdered by renegade, maverick loyalists and 200 had been injured, would there be anyone in the nationalist community opposed to internment?
The former Taoiseach, Gareth FitzGerald, when interviewed for the World At One earlier this week, was asked about the practical implications of introducing selective internment in the south; he almost intellectu-alised the concept out of existence.
It could, he said, undermine the republican leadership wedded to the peace process by making them appear to be on the side of the State. Well, whose side are they on if not the State's when they accepted the Good Friday Agreement?
It could create sympathy and give a new sense of martyrdom to the dissidents. In fact, you might not be able to find them. And so he went on dithering and withering, and the people would continue to die if every reason for not taking affirmative action were followed.
If anyone said that had we introduced selective internment after 33 civilians were injured in Banbridge with a dissident bomb and it would save the lives of 28 people, would we still intellectualise and dither?
Does anyone remember the IPLO (Irish People's Liberation Organisation)? This dissident, breakaway group from the INLA began to recruit, arm, train and organise for 'war'.
But during their period of gestation there was a feud and it was bloody.
One member of the organisation was machine-gunned on a bus in west Belfast after a GAA game, in front of women and children. His fingers, which he raised to protect his face, were cut off by the fuselage of machine pistol fire; bullets were bouncing everywhere and women and children dived for cover.
And so it continued and it appeared the IPLO was shaping up to the Provisionals. However, the Provisionals responded, and in what is known in west Belfast as the "night of the long knives" one IPLO man was shot dead in Short Strand, several more were critically injured and the rest were knee-capped, forced into hiding and exile, and effectively closed down.
A leading Provisional travelled to Dublin and met with the chief of staff of the IPLO. He was given no real choice but a mandate which ensured all IPLO arms, property and sundry investments were handed over.
That was the price the IPLO leadership paid for their lives. There was no other point of negotiation. They did not operate again and won't - because they know the strength of the Provisionals!
The Provos have still got that strength and more. They now have an electoral mandate invested by the people in their political leadership, who have dropped political violence in favour of a united Ireland by political persuasion within the democratic process, and have made an historic accommodation to do so.
I once (wrongly) insulted the president of Sinn Fein and was faced with dismissal from the republican movement even though I apologised.
The dissidents have insulted, attempted to subvert, and bring down the present IRA leadership and the Sinn Fein Party by a campaign that is clearly directed at their long term and genuine efforts for peace.
After Omagh if I were a former quartermaster general, or any of his minions, relaxing in Dundalk I would be very frightened, especially if a leading Sinn Fein group had asked me to come in from the cold and accept the new reality of peace and real politics.
But a Dundalk man who never experienced the reality of life in the north and has never seen active service in more than a quarter of a century is hard to convince. The mediators can only say they tried. And he, whether for egotistical reasons or love of Mother Ireland and blood sacrifice, has refused.
And what now? Members of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, political apologists for the 'Real' IRA which carried out the massacre, deny any involvement, but failed to condemn the worst human atrocity and tragedy in our recent history, which by this arrogant gesture is an admission of guilt.
The dead pregnant mothers and the limbless children, talented teenagers and humble grieving relatives of the dead have failed to move them.
Who will they kill next? Me for criticising them or you for being in their way when they want to explode a bomb? All I can say is damn them, damn them to hell, them and their stinking hypocrisy.
There is a stark choice facing them - selective internment or the wrath of the Provisionals. The State's response would be more humane, more than they deserve, more than 28 dead and 200 injured were afforded by them!
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0142
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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