The UDA leadership is tomorrow expected to make a declaration of its future peaceful intentions but to fall short of making a definitive statement about decommissioning. Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor, reports.
UDA leaders are due to avail of Remembrance Day commemorations to state that it poses no paramilitary threat and that it is opposed to criminality in all forms. Some thousand of loyalists are planning to gather at "UDA war memorials" in up to nine loyalist areas around Northern Ireland tomorrow where UDA "brigadiers" and other senior members are scheduled to read out statements about the organisation's future plans.
The UDA has come under fierce pressure in recent months to decommission and end criminality such as drugs dealing, extortion, and other forms of racketeering. SDLP Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie won widespread public support by withdrawing loyalist community funding of £1.2 million after the UDA refused to meet her ultimatum to begin decommissioning of their arms by early last month.
A report this week from the Independent Monitoring Commission said that the UDA leadership had some limited success in its attempts to steer rank and file members away from violence and criminality. It added, however, that internal tensions, which includes a feud between the mainstream UDA and a splinter group in southeast Antrim, were restricting the pace of change.
There was further public pressure on the UDA this week when a 16-year-old youth committed suicide after allegedly being sold horse tranquillisers by the UDA in north Belfast.
Frankie Gallagher, spokesman for the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG), which is linked to the UDA, said that the UDA leadership would tomorrow make a clear signal of its peaceful, anti-criminal objectives.
"This is part of the continuation of the consultations with ordinary members that have been taking place for the past five years. This is a step in a pre-determined route, which the UDA has chosen, to create the environment in Northern Ireland where there is political stability, social cohesion and where instead of violence and weapons the choice for the people will be the ballot box," he said last night.
Mr Gallagher said that over a month ago the UDA appointed an intermediary to work with Gen John de Chastelain's decommissioning body.
He wasn't aware, however, of any expectation that the UDA would make an announcement tomorrow that it was starting to decommission its arsenal.
"What is important though is that by engaging with Gen de Chastelain the UDA is buying into the concept of creating a new future where there is no need for guns."
Mr Gallagher said there was UDA and general loyalist annoyance that the Northern Executive and Assembly were not playing a positive role in seeking to assist reconciliation and transformation.