The PIRA have finished decommissioning

[Poor Student]

Just saw it on the 9 o'clock news there. There will be a press conference tomorrow with General De Chastelain. It was witnessed by a Catholic priest and Methodist minister, both of whom will also be at the press conference tomorrow. I assume this means no transparent photograhped process. The ball is firmly in the court of the DUP now. Should be intriguing to see how they deal with this.

[thejollyrodger]

Thank god the provos are ditching the weapons. I hope this is the end to a miserable peroid of Irish history.

[dfx-]

Unfortunately I wouldn't bet on that..

[Fortuna1886]

Unfortunately I wouldn't bet on that..

Its aswell they dont have millions stashed away to buy fresh supplies when things go tits up, they haven't gone away you know :rolleyes:

[A face]

There will be a press conference tomorrow with General De Chastelain.

If General De Chastelain is in anyway vague tomorrow then the DUP just wont entertain it, simple as !!
It all hinges on what info he can and cant reveil.

[Poor Student]

If General De Chastelain is in anyway vague tomorrow then the DUP just wont entertain it, simple as !!
It all hinges on what info he can and cant reveil.

We know it'll be vague. But what can they do? If the arms are gone, they're gone. You can't take pictures of them if they aren't there. They cannot hold the process up for an eternity waiting for Godot.

[anto eile]

the dup will use any excuse to throw a spanner in the works. if it means complaingin about the standard of sandwiches on offer at the press conference then theyd use that excuse

[pete]

I doubt the IRA will decommision all their arms but no way of ever really knowing either. Could wait for proof but most people will never fully belive it so pointless waiting for...

[joeSoap]

IRA disarmament report handed over to govts
26/09/2005 - 12:23:41

Details of the IRA’s final act of disarmament are being studied by the Irish and British governments today.

A new report by General John de Chastelain was handed over to officials of both governments in Belfast a short time ago.

Details will be announced in the city later this afternoon (about 2pm) when the IRA is also expected to make an announcement.

Gen. de Chastelain, head of the international decommissioning commission, and two churchmen witnessed the disarmament process by the IRA and they too will confirm the scale and size of the weapons arsenal which has been put beyond use.

[Risteard]

What city?

[liam88]

What city?
Belfast i'd presume, Blair might fly over from the conference for a press conference or might jus speak from Brighton

[glentoranfan]

Today is certainly a step forward (seven and a half years late though), but it is only the second rung of the ladder. Step 1 was saying it, Step 2 was doing it, Step 3 is maintaining it. They have lied before to us all.

I am still disappointed there were no photographs. I felt that should have been the case; if the decomissioning was so good why not? I accept also that the two clergymen would have no reason to lie. I think the reason Paisley is not happy is because he was told by Blair that he could choose a man to verify deccommising, then Paisley was told that would not be the case. General John de Chastelain is still not 100% that every weapon has been handed in.

So yes, today is good, as was it when they say they would, but the test is yet to come. That is why the DUP won't jump into governement tomorrow. They would like to see a ''cooling-off'' period, which I believe is fair enough also.

[paul_oshea]

do ye know what i think its almost a step backwards, because loyalists are going to lose out in the long run, sparking a new rise of terroism on their part, they always saw themselves as ulsters "freedom fighters" now they are going to take that and use it like republicans. I really fear for northern ireland as i see a united ireland forming eventualy with a mafia type state run by loyalits and republicans with no go areas for either, a total separation like the mafia in scicilly.

[Dublin12]

the dup will use any excuse to throw a spanner in the works. if it means complaingin about the standard of sandwiches on offer at the press conference then theyd use that excuse

Correct,I'm sick to death of the monkey and the organ grinder,Robinson and Paisley,they can see history is changing for the good and it's not the way the want it.

[joey B]

The only way things will ever have a degree of normality is when both sides decommision.
but the UDA have ruled out decommisioning for 2 years due to 'housekeeping' ie their feud with the LVF. I still think any major changes in the North are a long way away :(

[Speranza]

IRA decomission their weapons while there is no real pressure on Loyalist paramilitaries who are actively involved in fueds, intimidation, huge levels of public disorder e.g Belfast last week, racketeering. Then again whats the point in them decomissioning as the British state can just re-supply them with weapons as before.

Paisley doesn't want to believe this because he then has to accept devolution which he knows is the next step to an inevitable 32 county state. He know's he is beat. :)

[Macy]

Sometimes I wonder about the tatics of the sinn féin and the IRA. Why not have photo's, inventory and a Presbyterian (if not a Free Presbyterian) as one of the inspectors? Leave Paisley and the DUP no excuse not to go back in to power sharing.

The only possible reasoning is to give Paisley enough wriggly room to justify not going back, whilst claiming the high moral ground. This can only be the policy for short term political gain, rather than for lasting peace and stability in the north. Maybe it's a sign that the shinners are truely ready for politics only - they're now as corrupt as the rest of them and have left their ideals behind.

[dahamsta]

Whatever about inventories and witnesses, the reason for not providing photos has been given time and time again: The risk of use for glorification by the opposition. I don't even think it's a risk, I think it's a given with stains on humanity like Paisley around.

adam

[Macy]

Whatever about inventories and witnesses, the reason for not providing photos has been given time and time again: The risk of use for glorification by the opposition. I don't even think it's a risk, I think it's a given with stains on humanity like Paisley around.

adam
Okay fair enough on the photo's (they could just show them the photo's though, don't have to hand them over), the rest I think would be okay for the "man of god" to get his mits on... I mean it's not like they have any other inventory to reconcile it to, so it's totally useless bit of paper....

[dahamsta]

At a guess I'd say the concern is that if someone like Paisley received the inventories, they'd go out of their way to refute it. And by "out of their way" I mean "lie".

No matter what evidence is provided, neither we nor they will ever know if this is the totality of their weapons. We just have to take it on faith, something someone like Paisley knows nothing about, despite his purchased "credentials". ("Reverend" my hole. I doubt there's a less reverend reverend in the world.)

And no matter what evidence people like Paisley are provided, they will always find fault with it. Always, because they have no interest in the peace process, they're only interested in achieving their own agendas. People like Paisley are responsible for more deaths via their inaction and disruption than any paramilitary hitman.

adam