Northern Ireland: Loyalist groups agree to cease fire

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, DEC. 16. In a positive development, but unrelated to the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton's visit, rival Protestant paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland have agreed to put an end to the recent wave of violence which has claimed seven lives and driven hundreds of families out of their homes in recent months. The agreement, which was widely welcomed as a step towards peace, follows protracted secret talks even as reprisal killings continued.

The Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Defence Association, the two main groups, said in a statement on Friday that they were committing themselves to ``an open-ended and all- encompassing cessation of hostilities''. ``We fully recognise the pain and suffering that has been inflicted on our community and we resolve that under no circumstances will such events be repeated,'' they said distancing themselves from the activities of the dissident loyalist outfits. There was, however, some uncertainty about the reaction of the Ulster Freedom Fighters whose chief Johnny Adair is serving a jail sentence. He was due for early release in August but the British Government blocked it because of his alleged involvement in triggering the intra- loyalist feud.

While the UFF is affiliated to one of the signatories to the agreement, Mr. Adair apparently was not engaged in the peace talks which led to the accord and there was no certainty that he would be willing to be bound by it. The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr. Peter Mandelson thanked the unnamed interlocutors who ``worked so hard'' to bring about the agreement. He said he knew from his ``extensive contacts'' that these groups wanted peace and he was glad that it had become possible. Mr. Mandelson who has his hands full with the fallout of the differences over the Good Friday Agreement has come in for criticism by the Sinn Fein for his alleged pro-Unionist tilt which, of course, he has denied.

Yesterday's agreement has been described as a Christmas ``gift'' to the harassed residents of the Shankhill Road, the main theatre of loyalist violence, but given the fragile political climate of Belfast the big question on everyone's mind is: will the agreement hold, and for how long? A Sinn Fein spokesman called it a ``positive'' development but said it was important to remember that the agreement did not include all loyalist groups.

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Section  : International
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