UDA declare intent to maintain 'ceasfire'

The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) has announced that its 12-month period of military inactivity will continue "indefinitely".

At a press conference on Tuesday the UDA's political wing, the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) said the paramilitary organisation wanted a role for loyalists in current negotiations.

However, it said that while the group supported the push for peace it remained deeply suspicious of the intention and objectives of the republican movement.

In the statement read by UPRG spokesperson, Tommy Kirkham, the group said it would "maintain our contact with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and with the Independent Monitoring Commission in order to explore the context in which definitive closure can be brought to all paramilitary activity".

The UDA's statement was immediately criticised by Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness who said people would judge the group by their actions in the time ahead.

“Any process of conflict resolution requires collective responsibility and dialogue," the Mid Ulster MP said. "Much work has been done by prominent Irish citizens in recent times with representatives of the UDA and I commend those involved.

“If this statement marks an end to sectarian violence by the UDA then I welcome this. Ultimately people will judge the UDA by their actions in the time ahead. The sectarian attacks which the UDA have been orchestrating must be brought to an immediate end.”

Strangford Ulster Unionist MLA David McNarry, who has been engaging with the UPRG for some time, added: "The change to an indefinite ceasefire is to be welcomed as are the comments made that the UDA will be looking for final closure.

"This is a positive statement from a paramilitary organisation whose ceasefire credentials have been consistently under question.

"Nevertheless they must live up to this statement and prove to society that they will put violence behind them and seek on that basis to play a role in politics here."

Today's announcement comes 12 months on from the UDA's last ceasefire declaration.

Then the group said stressed that their renewed commitment to a ceasefire did not represent a decision by the UDA to decommission – that move, the group stated, would only occur once the republican movement had set out their terms to do so.

(MB)