Hain describes IMC report as 'positive'

Secretary of State Peter Hain has described the latest report from the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) as "positive".

Commenting on the IMC report, the first since the PIRA announced it was standing down, Mr Hain said: "The IRA is moving in the right direction: no murders, no recruitment, no bank robberies. Compared to where the IRA was there has been a sea change.”

However, the IMC report summed up the situation as "not entirely straightforward."

The report's authors noted: "We see a number of definite signs of the organisation [PIRA] moving in the direction indicated in the 28 July statement. We see other signs which we would describe as neutral and some which are more disturbing. For example, some members continue to be engaged in significant crime and occasional unauthorised assaults. Whereas these assaults are not in our view sanctioned by the leadership, and may be directly against its wishes, the contrary appears to be the case with some other criminal activities such as the exploitation of financial assets PIRA had previously acquired or the illegal gathering of intelligence."

Mr Hain said: “Of course the report does not paint a picture of perfection and frankly I did not expect it to. It will take more than six months to see a closing down of the activities of such a complex organisation.”

He acknowledged that there was understandable and justified concern about criminality.

“The IMC reports that in some areas PIRA units have been closing down criminal operations and clearing stocks of contraband goods and there were no reports of PIRA sanctioned robberies in the period under review.

“But the fact remains that all criminality, from whatever source, for whatever motive is unacceptable and it must come to an end and until it does the law enforcement agencies, in both jurisdictions, will drive down on it.”

The report raised concerns regarding dissident republican organisations INLA, CIRA and the activities of two splinter groups Oglaigh na hEireann(ONH) and Saoirse na hEireann(SNH).

While the IMC report focused on the IRA, loyalist paramilitaries, in particular the LVF, were described as being "heavily involved in organised crime. There was no evidence that the LVF, despite a statement in October 2005 that the organisation would stand down its military units, was disbanding.

Mr Hain said: “The focus has been on republicanism but loyalism too still has some way to go.

“There has been progress – the IMC acknowledges the work of the Progressive Unionist Party and the UPRG and I warmly welcome that. Indeed, the IMC has recommended that the financial sanctions against the PUP and Sinn Fein should not continue.

“The Government has focused attention on deprivation in loyalist areas and is addressing what has been described as loyalist ‘alienation’. But this cannot have the impact it should while paramilitary activity as described in this report continues. Everyone of influence must continue work to bring it to an end.”

On the political way forward, Mr Hain said: “The best way to deal with difficult issues is to work within a political framework to resolve them. We have that framework. Now we need to make it work.”

The next IMC report is due in April.

(SP)