MOWLAM TO DECIDE ON PROVO CEASEFIRE
Mowlam to decide on Provo ceasefire
SECRETARY of State Mo Mowlam is to make a decision on the state of the IRA ceasefire in the next few days.
She had talks yesterday with RUC chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan and other senior security advisors at Stormont.
With unionist MPs pressing the Government to define its meaning of the republican truce, Dr Mowlam said yesterday: "If I have to act, as I have acted in the past, I won't shirk that duty."
The IRA has been blamed for the murder of Charles Bennett, 22, who was found shot dead in West Belfast just over a fortnight ago.
The Provisionals have also been linked to a new transatlantic gun smuggling plot but have insisted the ceasefire was still intact.
Dr Mowlam said: "People say that the dogs in the street know what is going on. Well, I am afraid I cannot listen to the dogs in the street.
"I have to listen to my advisers, read the evidence and make an evaluation in the round. That is what I have to do and that is what I will do."
She added: "I won't shirk from that but I won't be pushed in interviews to reach conclusions without full consultations."
With the Northern Ireland peace process under new pressure over the failure to set up a power-sharing executive at Stormont, all sides are to begin a new round of talks early next month as part of the Government's review of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
But Prime Minister Tony Blair and his team in Belfast have been accused by unionist MPs of deliberately turning a blind eye to the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries who have also been linked to a string of punishment beatings and shootings.
The West Tyrone UUP MP, William Thompson said: "She cannot go on pretending that the IRA is still on ceasefire because that organisation is murdering people.
"They are sending people out of the country. It is clear now that the definition of a ceasefire from an IRA point of view means they are no longer murdering soldiers or policemen or exploding bombs in town centres.
"But their ceasefire does not include killing their own people or putting people out of the country. Their definition is very narrow and it is up to Mo Mowlam to point out what the ceasefire should be in all aspects."
Mr Thompson said Dr Mowlam should stop the release of all paramilitary prisoners. He added: "She could exclude them from the process but I do not think she is prepared to do that and stopping the release of prisoners would probably mean republicans leaving the talks process."
Meanwhile, detectives on both sides of the border are to hold new talks as part of the huge campaign to catch the Real IRA bombers who killed 29 people in Omagh.
Even though police claim to have identified the five key leaders directly involved in the attack, some officers in Belfast and Dublin also fear they may never bring to justice all the men they suspect were directly linked to the outrage.
One man accused of conspiring to cause the explosion will stand trial in Dublin later.
Meanwhile, rebuilding work is now under way in lower Market Street which was devastated by the huge explosion. But it could take up to two years, maybe more before all the projects are completed.
After Sunday's memorial service for the 29 dead attended by thousands who gathered in High Street and Market Street, community leaders in the town said yesterday the healing process could begin in earnest now that the first anniversary was out of the way.
One said yesterday: "This has been a desperately difficult time for everyone in Omagh. Nobody has quite yet recovered but I think people now want to get on with their lives free from any more press intrusion."
Sinn Fein chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness insisted yesterday that the IRA's ceasefire was intact.
Speaking in West Belfast, the Mid Ulster MP said: "When the IRA called their ceasefire they said that they were calling a complete cessation of military operations in order to enhance the peace process.
"In my view the ceasefire is intact. That's all we need to say about it."
Mr McGuinness, whose party will meet Dr Mowlam today, accused unionists of "continually dragging up excuses" to avoid sharing power with nationalist parties in Northern Ireland.
He called on them to "end their cold war" with representatives of the nationalist community.
"What we now need to see from everybody is a recognition that the political process, the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process are in dire straits," Mr McGuinness continued.
"Who's going to save it? I think it is my responsibility to save it, I think it is David Trimble's responsibility to save it but I think it is primarily Tony Blair's responsibility as British Prime Minister to ensure that the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement survive."
SECRETARY of State Mo Mowlam is to make a decision on the state of the IRA ceasefire in the next few days.
She had talks yesterday with RUC chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan and other senior security advisors at Stormont.
With unionist MPs pressing the Government to define its meaning of the republican truce, Dr Mowlam said yesterday: "If I have to act, as I have acted in the past, I won't shirk that duty."
The IRA has been blamed for the murder of Charles Bennett, 22, who was found shot dead in West Belfast just over a fortnight ago.
The Provisionals have also been linked to a new transatlantic gun smuggling plot but have insisted the ceasefire was still intact.
Dr Mowlam said: "People say that the dogs in the street know what is going on. Well, I am afraid I cannot listen to the dogs in the street.
"I have to listen to my advisers, read the evidence and make an evaluation in the round. That is what I have to do and that is what I will do."
She added: "I won't shirk from that but I won't be pushed in interviews to reach conclusions without full consultations."
With the Northern Ireland peace process under new pressure over the failure to set up a power-sharing executive at Stormont, all sides are to begin a new round of talks early next month as part of the Government's review of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
But Prime Minister Tony Blair and his team in Belfast have been accused by unionist MPs of deliberately turning a blind eye to the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries who have also been linked to a string of punishment beatings and shootings.
The West Tyrone UUP MP, William Thompson said: "She cannot go on pretending that the IRA is still on ceasefire because that organisation is murdering people.
"They are sending people out of the country. It is clear now that the definition of a ceasefire from an IRA point of view means they are no longer murdering soldiers or policemen or exploding bombs in town centres.
"But their ceasefire does not include killing their own people or putting people out of the country. Their definition is very narrow and it is up to Mo Mowlam to point out what the ceasefire should be in all aspects."
Mr Thompson said Dr Mowlam should stop the release of all paramilitary prisoners. He added: "She could exclude them from the process but I do not think she is prepared to do that and stopping the release of prisoners would probably mean republicans leaving the talks process."
Meanwhile, detectives on both sides of the border are to hold new talks as part of the huge campaign to catch the Real IRA bombers who killed 29 people in Omagh.
Even though police claim to have identified the five key leaders directly involved in the attack, some officers in Belfast and Dublin also fear they may never bring to justice all the men they suspect were directly linked to the outrage.
One man accused of conspiring to cause the explosion will stand trial in Dublin later.
Meanwhile, rebuilding work is now under way in lower Market Street which was devastated by the huge explosion. But it could take up to two years, maybe more before all the projects are completed.
After Sunday's memorial service for the 29 dead attended by thousands who gathered in High Street and Market Street, community leaders in the town said yesterday the healing process could begin in earnest now that the first anniversary was out of the way.
One said yesterday: "This has been a desperately difficult time for everyone in Omagh. Nobody has quite yet recovered but I think people now want to get on with their lives free from any more press intrusion."
Sinn Fein chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness insisted yesterday that the IRA's ceasefire was intact.
Speaking in West Belfast, the Mid Ulster MP said: "When the IRA called their ceasefire they said that they were calling a complete cessation of military operations in order to enhance the peace process.
"In my view the ceasefire is intact. That's all we need to say about it."
Mr McGuinness, whose party will meet Dr Mowlam today, accused unionists of "continually dragging up excuses" to avoid sharing power with nationalist parties in Northern Ireland.
He called on them to "end their cold war" with representatives of the nationalist community.
"What we now need to see from everybody is a recognition that the political process, the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process are in dire straits," Mr McGuinness continued.
"Who's going to save it? I think it is my responsibility to save it, I think it is David Trimble's responsibility to save it but I think it is primarily Tony Blair's responsibility as British Prime Minister to ensure that the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement survive."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/238
Published Date: 17-Aug-99
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