Declassified docs reveal UDA leadership pledged to stop paramilitary activity 20 years ago

Sunday World

4 days ago

Details of the broken promise have emerged in declassified British government documents from 2003-4
National Archives records released...File photo dated 06/02/03 of the former Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, talking to reporters outside the Old Library at Trinity College, Dublin. Sinn Fein raised security concerns with the Government about housing Northern Ireland's new Assembly at Stormont, according to newly released documents from the National Archives. Issue date: Wednesday December 29, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story RECORDS Ulster Stormont. Photo credit should read: Haydn West/PA Wire ...A
The UDA leadership pledged to stop all paramilitary activity in a secret meeting with government officials more than 20 years ago.
Details of the broken promise have emerged in declassified British government documents from 2003-4.
In a number of meetings with officials and then Secretary of State Paul Murphy, the UDA leadership, in the shape of Brigadiers Jackie McDonald, Billy McFarland, Andre Shoukri and Tommy Kirkham, said in return for certain assurances they were ready to transition away from criminality.
They had agreed to make an announcement at Remembrance Sunday services in advance of putting their plan in the place.
The proposals were warmly welcomed by British officials.
Billed as an Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) delegation, the four leading loyalists raised concerns about the influence of UFF commander Johnny Adair and they also demanded equal treatment when compared to the 'support'' given to the IRA as they stood down their activities.
memo
The UDA made the demands during a meeting with the NIO's Nick Perry, a senior government official.
His memo, dated November 4, 2004, said: 'They had two main points to make. First, they want specification lifted before they make their statement on 14 November. Second, they are very concerned about the negative impact which Johnny Adair's release in January could have on the UDA.
'They did not expect him to stay in Northern Ireland after his release, but they did expect him to try to 'make his mark' before departing the scene, or attempt to do so by proxy after his departure.'
They also raised concerns about the LVF, an even more sectarian terror offshoot set up by former UDA and UVF members opposed to a ceasefire.
Kirkham said their followers 'needed to have some early 'wins' if they were to be persuaded to take a course many would find uncomfortable,' the memo states.
Perry wrote: 'McDonald stressed that part of the process was about equality of esteem. The awful things the UDA had done were no worse than those perpetrated by, for example, the last Executive's Education Minister [Martin McGuinness], and the loyalists deserved the same chance of rehabilitation that the republican movement had received.
'Shoukri in particular said that he would need time to wean people off their criminality (!); more genuinely, perhaps, McFarland said that leaving too many people behind could be dangerous.'
He said McDonald was 'vehement in his condemnation of drugs'', which Perry noted clearly made Shoukri uncomfortable.
Under the terms of their intended statement, the UDA would remain intact and continue to be a proscribed organisation but with a commitment to cease criminal activity.
Paul Murphy said it would amount to 'return to barracks'.
In a memo to Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr Murphy was positive about the developments.
He said he would be 'announcing my intention to despecify the UDA' in light of the Remembrance Day statement.
'This move is largely symbolic. The UDA will remain an illegal organisation, as, for example, the IRA and UVF still are. Specification relates specifically to the early release of prisoners' legislation, and will have little practical effect.
Former UDA spokesman Tommy Kirkham
'But politically it is important, as it involves the Government recognising the UDA's ceasefire. I am taking this step partly because the UDA's behaviour has improved somewhat in recent months, but mainly because there are positive signs that some in the UDA leadership, and their political wing the UPRG, now want to pursue a political path.'
He said the Remembrance Sunday pledge in 2004 would a 'very forward'' development.
Another letter from Nick Perry, dated November 4, described a 'constructive meeting' with Tommy Kirkham and the UPRG's Frankie Gallagher who 'said that their key requirement remained a despecification announcement ahead of their statement on 14 November'.
'At the end they stressed again the seriousness of their initiative: they wanted 'a dignified end to their war' and some acknowledgement in return. Their statement was not dependent on a breakthrough with the Provisionals, nor on action by the UVF.
Billy McFarland
'The proposed statement is very positive (indeed, almost too good, given the UDA's lack of credibility); Kirkham, however, seems confident he can deliver.'
One of the conditions was that the UDA would re-engage with the International Commission for Decommissioning.
Elsewhere in the newly released files is a report of a meeting between Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern with the UVF-linked PUP where David Ervine told them 'there was only one blockage in the pipe – the IRA's refusal to acknowledge the war was over'.
The document said he continued: 'If the IRA ceased to exist there would be no need for loyalist paramilitaries. It had been a long time since the ceasefires but still these hadn't turned into full cessation of activity. Both Governments should hammer home to the IRA the need to declare an end to the war.'
The document adds: 'The end of the conflict, Ervine continued, had weakened the loyalist leadership. In particular, many of the 'good guys' [his term] had now walked away, to return to normal life. This meant the proportion of 'bad guys' increased. Previous bad summers had made communities feel insecure, increasing the likelihood of people getting involved with paramilitaries.'
More than two decades later the UDA has yet to publicly state their intention to transition away from paramilitary activity and criminality.
Jackie McDonald and Andre Shoukri
News in 90 Seconds - August 6th