Army Interview in An Phoblacht

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday September 12, 2002 11:31 by Justin Moran - Sinn Fein maigh_nuad at yahoo dot com

In its most wide-ranging and comprehensive interview of recent times, the IRA given its assessment of the peace process, where it believes the difficulties lie and how progress can be made.

(Apologies for posting the whole thing but the interview is not currently available on the internet so there's no link.)

An Phoblacht: Accepting that there have been difficulties in this
peace process for republicans, where stands the IRA today?

Oglaigh na hEireann: It is important to understand that sections
of the British military and its intelligence agencies, including
the Special Branch, are still at war. They have always sought to
create tensions, divisions and splits in republican ranks. They
are opposed to the peace process. Consequently, over recent
years, we have seen some absurd stories and speculation from
ill-informed or mischievous sources designed to foment divisions
if possible, or provide our enemies and the opponents of the
peace process with excuses to attack republicans. We have
witnessed these types of psy-ops for more than 30 years.

But the public, our support base and especially our opponents,
should understand that the IRA is a highly disciplined
organisation. The dedication of our Volunteers and support base
has ensured that our cessation has remained intact.

The IRA remains committed to the search for a just and lasting
peace.

An Phoblacht: There is an expectation that David Trimble intends
creating another crisis in the peace process. What is your view?

Oglaigh na hEireann: The leadership of unionism and elements
within the British establishment have contrived this situation.
The British government must face up to this reality.

At various stages these same forces have actively brought the
political and peace processes to the brink of collapse. In the
past the IRA leadership was able to act unilaterally to break not
only the logjams that have been created but also to save the
peace process. But I have to say that many nationalists and
republicans are weary of the failure of sections of unionism and
the unionist leaderships to accept change and equality. For their
part, the British government have pandered to that unionist
agenda. Remember, it was the British government that slowed the
implementation of the Agreement to a snail's pace then suspended
the institutions and completely disenfranchised the hundreds of
thousands of people across Ireland who voted for change.

An Phoblacht: How can a crisis be avoided?

Oglaigh na hEireann: This process can only remain alive and
succeed if the political will exists to make it work. For our
part, the IRA has demonstrated time and time again that we are
committed to the peace process. There is no threat to the peace
process from the IRA. The process is under threat from those who
are against change. A vacuum has been created. Loyalism has
stepped into that vacuum with a campaign of sectarian violence.

The way to make progress is for the leaderships of unionism and
the British government to live up to and to honour their
obligations and commitments.

An Phoblacht: The IRA has been accused of not doing enough for
the peace process. What is your view of this?

Oglaigh na hEireann: We have played a positive and constructive
role. There would be no peace process but for IRA initiatives.
Despite the abuse of the peace process by those who seek the
defeat of republicanism, the Army has consistently shown its
commitment to the peace process by taking a number of substantial
initiatives.

.We declared and continue to maintain our cessation.

.We established contact with and engaged with the IICD.

.We facilitated the inspection of a number of our arms dumps by
the International Inspectors on three separate occasions.

.We agreed with the IICD a scheme to put IRA arms completely and
verifiably beyond use.

.We implemented that scheme in October 2001 and in April 2002.

The difficulties these initiatives caused us, our Volunteers and
our support base should not be underestimated in any way. At
times it has been very difficult for republicans to understand
why the IRA should do any of these things, especially in the face
of the repeated failures of the British government and others to
live up to their commitments, and against a background of
sustained loyalist attacks on Catholics and nationalists.

We have taken these unprecedented steps to enhance the prospect
of achieving a just and lasting peace. The IRA is not the
problem. The problem, and it is one the British government have
to face up to, is that there are elements, especially within
their own system, who are against the peace process.

Your question should be directed at those elements who are
against change.

An Phoblacht: What about the ongoing sectarian violence? The
unionists, as well as some sections of the media, have been
running the tit-for-tat claim for months. What effect is this
having?

Oglaigh na hEireann: The description of the sectarian violence as
tit-for-tat is false. Some journalists run that line because they
are politically hostile or frightened, or depend on the crown
forces and the NIO for information, leaks and stories. The
failure of sections of the media to seek out and tell the whole
truth is adding to the sense of anger.

To understand what is happening in the Short Strand, in North
Belfast, South Antrim and in other parts of the Six Counties, we
have to place loyalist violence in its proper context. The
reality is that there are loyalist paramilitary organisations
that are not on ceasefire. Much of the current outpouring of
sectarian hatred is designed to provoke a response from the IRA
and to deepen the crisis that is being contrived in the political
process.

The tit-for-tat accusation is already being cynically used by
some unionists. It is designed to shift blame for the collapse of
the institutions away from the leadership of unionism and those
elements within the British establishment who are against the
process.
It is also important to remember that while loyalists have at
times pursued their own agenda, many, many individual loyalists
have been and are surrogates of the securocrats within the
British military and political establishment. Like Brian Nelson,
they have been guided and directed by military intelligence and
the Special Branch. They have been supplied with weapons. They
have been supplied with intelligence.

The UDA especially is infiltrated at every level by the
intelligence services. It is the organisation primarily
responsible for the bulk of the sectarian violence against the
Catholic community over the past two years. All of this under the
guiding hands of the intelligence services who recruited them.

In the midst of a pogrom against Catholics, nationalists and
their properties, sections of the British establishment and
unionists remain fixated on defeating republicans and defending a
failed status quo.

An Phoblacht: In light of all of that, how do you respond to the
speculation around the creation of a 'ceasefire auditor'?

Oglaigh na hEireann: Firstly, there have been no breaches of our
cessation. Suggestions to the contrary have come from the British
military intelligence agencies. This misinformation has already
been seized upon by elements within unionism, and the creation of
an auditor would be the latest example of the British government
pandering to their demands. As I pointed out earlier, there are
loyalist paramilitary organisations not on ceasefire and British
military covert operations continue unchecked. Overt operations,
including attacks on nationalists, continue. Who will monitor the
forces of the crown? It is evident that this whole idea of an
auditor is being pushed by the unionists. If it is put in place
it will only be used to serve the interests of those opposed to
change.

An Phoblacht: Is the IRA involved in orchestrating violence at
the interfaces?

Oglaigh na hEireann: No. Allegations that the IRA is involved in
fomenting sectarian conflict are totally untrue. We are
fundamentally opposed to sectarianism in any shape or form.
Sectarian attacks, whatever their source, are wrong. Everyone has
a responsibility to bring these to an end. They should stop.
Republicans have very clearly and visibly been active on the
ground in trying to calm and defuse conflict situations.

An Phoblacht: What is your view of the recent loyalist commission
statements?

Oglaigh na hEireann: We welcome any genuine attempt to bring an
end to the violence at the interfaces. Many people will be
understandably sceptical about the 'no first strike' claim in
light of ongoing attacks.

Despite this, as I said before, we want to see an end to all
sectarian violence, including that which is taking place at the
Belfast interfaces. While the overwhelming majority of these
attacks have been directed at Catholics, there have been attacks
on Protestant people and property. All of this must stop. We will
do all that we can to encourage calm in nationalist communities.
The situation for all of those living at the interfaces is
intolerable. Every effort must be made to bring an end to this
difficult and dangerous situation.

An Phoblacht: In relation to the ongoing attacks from within the
republican community, have you any comments to make?

Oglaigh na hEireann: We have addressed the activities of these
groups on a number of occasions in the past. They are small in
number, they have little or no support base. They articulate no
coherent strategy. They have no impact on the structures and
discipline of Oglaigh na hEireann. Their attacks are aimed at
collapsing the peace process. They need to examine whose
interests this serves.

An Phoblacht: Unionists have already used and seem set to
continue to use the arrests in Colombia and the raid on the
Special Branch office in Castlereagh as part of the next crisis.
How do you respond to these allegations?

Oglaigh na hEireann: I spoke earlier about those agencies on the
British side which are still at war, still planting mischievous
stories in the media. These issues fall into this category.

Once again, we were not involved in the Castlereagh raid.
Instead, look at the motives of those who are pushing this story,
those who run it without any challenge, investigation, or
verification of the allegations being made.

In respect of Colombia, let me repeat what we have being saying
consistently since shortly after the three men were arrested. The
leadership of the IRA sent no one to Colombia to train or to
engage in any military cooperation with any group. The IRA has
not interfered in the internal affairs of Colombia.

The outrageous claims raised in the media have ensured that the
three men cannot receive a fair trial. They should be released
and sent home to their families.

An Phoblacht: You say that the onus for averting the looming
crisis rests with the British government. What should they do?

Oglaigh na hEireann: The British government must face down those
who for narrow political ends, within unionism and within their
own ranks, are opposed to change.

There is a range of unresolved issues. The British government
know what they are. They must honour their commitments and
obligations.

For instance, the British government make a great deal of the
closure or relocation of certain military bases. On the other
hand, they have remilitarised by strengthening existing military
installations, bases and camps, by expanding others and erecting
surveillance cameras and equipment within nationalist and
republican areas. Hardly the preparations for a lasting peace.

The level of Crown forces activity has significantly increased in
some areas. In places such as South Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh,
the presence of mobile and foot patrols have brought with them an
increase in levels of harassment. Covert intelligence agents
continue to target republicans. Nationalists and republicans find
it difficult to accept the concentration of such activity in
their areas while the violence emanating from loyalism goes
virtually unchecked.

The drive from within Special Branch to recruit informers and
agents has been intensified. The recent attempt over the twelfth
of July period to provoke confrontation with republicans through
totally fabricated intelligence briefings are all part and parcel
of a security agenda. All of this while the IRA remains on
cessation.

An Phoblacht: Your statement of apology and condolences to the
families of non-combatants killed or injured by your actions took
many by surprise. Why did you make it?

Oglaigh na hEireann: It was the right thing to do. Our sincere
apology and condolences went to all of those families of
non-combatants killed or injured as a consequence of our actions.
We also highlighted the fact that there have been fatalities on
all sides, combatants and non-combatants. We acknowledged the
grief and pain of all of their relatives. If this process is to
succeed, if it is to lead to a real and lasting process of
conflict resolution, then that requires all sides acknowledging
the grief and loss of everyone. Creating a hierarchy of victims
will not achieve a process of healing. We have endeavoured to
fulfil our responsibility in this regard.

An Phoblacht: And finally, what of your goals for the future?

Oglaigh na hEireann: It remains our firm view, reinforced in so
many ways by the British government's cynical management of this
peace process, that the root cause of conflict in our country,
and the single biggest obstacle to a lasting peace, is British
government policy on Ireland, its outworkings and in particular
partition.

We are committed and determined to see an end to partition and
the establishment of an Irish republic on this whole island:

* a republic that guarantees religious and civil liberty;

* a republic that affords equal rights and equal opportunities to
all of its citizens;

* a republic that will cherish all of the children of the nation
equally;

* a republic built on a firm foundation of democratic rights,
principles and entitlements.