Nationalists don't need the Provos

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday March 18, 2003 16:19 by Robby - RN rob_s57 at hotmail dot com Dungannon

BY what democratic right do Sinn Fein justify the continuing existence of the Provisional IRA. They are quick to demand that there democratic mandate is respected but totally fail to see how other's democratic rights have to be protected from influences of the of paramilitary organisations.

The PIRA "army counsel" wields a huge amount of undemocratic power.

Note how Sinn Fein are happy to eclipse the SDLP in talks, not because it has been democratically decided (at the last assembly elections the SDLP got far more votes) but because they unashamedly use the PIRA weapons and threat of return to violence as a negotiation tactic.

People might not mind the use of the threat of the IRA as a negotiation tactic because it gets some results but, as well as being immoral.

Think of the problems this causes. It is extremely divisive as it gives the impression that it is Sinn Fein/IRA on one side and unionists on the other; thus not showing to unionists that a very separate moderate nationalism that doesn't believe in blackmail with violence exists.

It takes away from the moral right of nationalists to an equal society as we are using an immoral means to try and achieve it. It gives the impression that we are only getting these things because of violence and the threat of violence rather than the fact that today's laws and European values dictate that equality in society is a must and the discrimination of the past is no longer acceptable.

Sinn Fein say they can't be tied to any sanctions that may link them to the behaviour of the PIRA. But surely if Sinn Fein are using them as a negotiation weapon, then if they fail to live up to there side of the bargain they should be sanctioned.

The main stumbling blocks for unionists have not been the equality agenda but have been decommissioning, prisoner releases, on-the-runs, end of war, Columbia, spying... We have seen the peace process stumble on all these issues and nearly fail.

As a constitutional nationalist I want to see total decommissioning. I didn't like the bombers being released. I think the on-the-runs (which include Enniskillen bombers) should face court for their crimes.

I think spying on government is not acceptable in a democratic society. I find the idea that the PIRA is probably exporting the explosive knowledge that drove the counter productive violent divisive "war" as highly immoral.

If we are ever to be a normal society the influence of the paramilitaries must cease.

We can fight injustice much more successfully with the media and the law than the PIRA ever could with bombs and guns.

We can negotiate with unionists as friends much better than we can as war opponents.

The idea that the PIRA is needed now is a myth perpetuated by those who have become too accustomed to power they have no right to yield.