NO DECOMMISIONING SAYS IRA RULING BODY
No decommisioning says IRA ruling body
By Brendan Anderson
THERE will be no decommissioning of IRA arms or explosives, the organisation's most powerful body, the general army convention, ruled at a secret venue in the Republic last weekend.
Sources close to the republican leadership also revealed that a new army council was elected by convention delegates.
The army council, normally composed of seven members, is the IRA's ruling and decision-making body when the convention is not sitting.
The source declined to be drawn on the make-up of the new council but the Irish News understands that the election resulted in a "cabinet reshuffle', rather than an influx of new blood.
It is also believed the changes include the promotion of an army council member to IRA chief of staff.
Because the new council appears to be a rejig of the old, there are unlikely to be major policy changes with the IRA high command expected to continue to support the Sinn Fein leadership.
There is also reported to be growing IRA anger at Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble, who is perceived by senior republicans to be placing obstacles in the way of progress.
According to the senior source, the convention - the subject of much media speculation in recent weeks - was not specifically called to deal with decommissioning but to review the current political situation.
The issue was debated at the meeting but was "firmly ruled out".
The bleak news is certain to cause consternation in unionist and nationalist political circles where decommissioning has been the main subject of debate in recent months.
IRA decommissioning is deemed by unionists to be crucial to political progress and assembly First Minister David Trimble has insisted that it starts before Sinn Fein representatives are allowed to take their places on the Stormont executive.
And Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon said at the recent SDLP annual conference that Sinn Fein would be thrown out of the executive if the IRA had not decommissioned within the two-year guideline laid down in the Good Friday agreement.
Advocates of republican disarmament point to paragraph three of the Good Friday agreement section on decommissioning which states: "All participants accordingly reaffirm their commitment to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations.
They also confirm their intention to continue to work constructively and in good faith with the independent commission and to use any influence they may have to achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years following endorsement in referendums, north and south, of the agreement and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement."
This is interpreted by unionists and some nationalists to mean the IRA should either hand over its weaponry or destroy it themselves under the close scrutiny of witnesses.
By Brendan Anderson
THERE will be no decommissioning of IRA arms or explosives, the organisation's most powerful body, the general army convention, ruled at a secret venue in the Republic last weekend.
Sources close to the republican leadership also revealed that a new army council was elected by convention delegates.
The army council, normally composed of seven members, is the IRA's ruling and decision-making body when the convention is not sitting.
The source declined to be drawn on the make-up of the new council but the Irish News understands that the election resulted in a "cabinet reshuffle', rather than an influx of new blood.
It is also believed the changes include the promotion of an army council member to IRA chief of staff.
Because the new council appears to be a rejig of the old, there are unlikely to be major policy changes with the IRA high command expected to continue to support the Sinn Fein leadership.
There is also reported to be growing IRA anger at Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble, who is perceived by senior republicans to be placing obstacles in the way of progress.
According to the senior source, the convention - the subject of much media speculation in recent weeks - was not specifically called to deal with decommissioning but to review the current political situation.
The issue was debated at the meeting but was "firmly ruled out".
The bleak news is certain to cause consternation in unionist and nationalist political circles where decommissioning has been the main subject of debate in recent months.
IRA decommissioning is deemed by unionists to be crucial to political progress and assembly First Minister David Trimble has insisted that it starts before Sinn Fein representatives are allowed to take their places on the Stormont executive.
And Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon said at the recent SDLP annual conference that Sinn Fein would be thrown out of the executive if the IRA had not decommissioned within the two-year guideline laid down in the Good Friday agreement.
Advocates of republican disarmament point to paragraph three of the Good Friday agreement section on decommissioning which states: "All participants accordingly reaffirm their commitment to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations.
They also confirm their intention to continue to work constructively and in good faith with the independent commission and to use any influence they may have to achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years following endorsement in referendums, north and south, of the agreement and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement."
This is interpreted by unionists and some nationalists to mean the IRA should either hand over its weaponry or destroy it themselves under the close scrutiny of witnesses.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0245
Published Date: 12-Dec-98
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