APRIL 1999
DECOMMISSIONING
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Page 15
DEADLOCKS PEACE
BELFAST — As Northern Ireland began its Easter holidays, the province's tumultuous peace process also took a break after failing to meet a deadline to put last year's Good Friday accord into effect.
This year's rainy skies and quiet streets were worlds away from the popping champagne corks and pealing church bells that feted last year's landmark Good Friday Agreement which addressed the often divergent interests of the nationalist and unionist communities.
After four days of intense talks with the province's political parties to try to achieve the peace accord's crowning glory — the transfer of some home rule from
London — British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern adjourned the negotiations.
The two leaders said peace is still in sight and unveiled a plan to try to break an intractable impasse over disarmament. The Hillsborough Declaration appears to have been carefully crafted to allow Sinn Fein to take its two seats in the assembly up to a month before the IRA hands in its guns, so long as a credible decommissioning effort follows.
On April 13, the parties are to meet again to determine if there is agreement with the proposals. The deal would see the cabinet nominated, then within a
month — all paramilitary groups would be expected to hand in or destroy some weapons in a "collective act of reconciliation."
Sinn Fein chief negotiator Martin McGuinness however, said the handing over of IRA arms was "unrealistic and unrealizable", and said the Hillsborough Declaration has "muddied" the political waters.
He said the declaration was an attempt to rewrite, renegotiate and redraft the Good Friday Agreement. "It's not on, because that agreement was endorsed by the overwhelming wish of the people of Ireland. And there is an unrealizable and unrealistic demand for a surrender by the IRA," he said.
RUC Reform Discussed
BELFAST — The Independent Commission on Policing, chaired by Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, will study two secret dossiers before submitting its report into reform of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), which is due for release by mid-summer.
Patten revealed that the commission will study the controversial Stevens and Stalker Reports which have never been made public. The documents focus on inquiries into RUC collusion with loyalist paramilitaries and "shoot to kill" policies. He said they requested the files to build a fuller account of
the force and did not rule out making public certain sections of the confidential reports.
The development came as Relatives For Justice (RFJ) met with the commission in Belfast. The group called for a new "downsized and downgraded" force to replace the RUC.
Spokesman Mark Thompson told the commission that a time line of 12 months should be put in place to bring about the changes they advocate, including cutting the force to 3,500 and recruiting new members for its ranks on a fair religious and gender basis.
"The RUC embodies everything which is anti-nationalist," said Thompson, "they at best represent fear and intimidation and at worst, pose a real threat to our lives."
The Orange Order submitted its views on the future of the RUC to the commission. Grand Master Robert Saulters and senior Orange leaders said the flying of Union Jacks at all police stations must continue and the' title and crest of the RUC must be retained. The Order also rejected the suggestion that RUC officers who were Orangemen should be obliged to reveal their affiliation.
HUME DONATES NOBEL CASH TO CHARITY
BELFAST — Nobel prize winner John Hume has announced the establishment of the Hume Charitable Trust
from the proceeds of the £286,000 cash prize received from the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
JOHN HUME and his wife Pat (centre) at the Ireland Fund of Canada, Edmonton Chapter Emerald Ball on March 13. With Hume are (L-R) Siobhian Heaney, president of the Vancouver Chapter of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Doodie Cahill and Frank Peters, members of the Ireland Fund of Canada.
At a press conference on March 26, Hume said, "The aim of the Hume Charitable Trust will be to generate an annual stipend which will be employed towards the alleviation of poverty in Northern Ireland.
The beneficiaries of the Trust will be the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul and the Salvation Army who will receive the annual income, divided equally, from the Trust. The balance of the award will be divided equally between the Omagh Fund and the Victims Memorial Trust."
Hume added, "In my Nobel Peace Prize address, I stated that I want to see an Ireland of partnership where we wage war on want and poverty, where we reach out to the marginalized and dispossessed, where we build together a future that can be as great as our dreams allow.
"What better way to start this process than by supporting the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army who do marvellous work assisting the disadvantaged and those in need."
Colm McNicholl from the Society of St Vincent De Paul said, "We are once more indebted to the generosity of John Hume who has been described as the politician of the century — I would describe him as one of the greatest human beings of the century."
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