Learning from others in conflict - CAIN

More documents

Recommendations

Info

[UDA] People say that the war is over, but there is still a threat from dissidentRepublicans, and many of our members still believe that the war isn’t over.[UPRG] Nevertheless, the reality is that the war has changed. If we don’t workout how we go forward to meet that change then we’re not going to be effectivelydefending the interests of our people.[UDA] There’s a macho image in ourorganisation. If you’re out trying to stoptrouble at the interfaces people think you’rea coward – they would rather we got stuckinto the other side. And you have to explainto people why you’re trying to stop trouble:because most people living at theseinterfaces, both Catholic and Protestant,are sick of all this trouble.[UDA] You have certain politicians who don’t want a peaceful summer, theythink it weakens their political arguments with government; so they wind thingsup. And the community gets confused: do they listen to the politicians or to us?[UPRG] As Valentine said yesterday, it’s easy for them to sit there and heightentensions, but it takes more courage to say ‘hold on, that’s all wrong’.[UPRG] If you look at what’s happening to our people at the moment, includingthe increasing encroachment into our areas by Nationalists, and the fact that somany concessions are being made to Sinn Féin, it’s no wonder our people feelthreatened. But you cannot blame Sinn Féin for that, we can only blameourselves, because we elected politicians who were meant to fight our corner,and they haven’t. So we need to get up off our knees and face the IRA on thestage that they’re now on.[UPRG] One of the things which happened recently was that the PUP came outwith a statement saying that they were going to be working very closely withSinn Féin on a wide range of issues. Now that has obviously been ratified by theUVF. I think the PUP believe, when a new Assembly is eventually set up, thatthey’re not going to get anything from the DUP, and that Sinn Féin is morelikely to put resources their way. But we haven’t made an alliance with anybody.Now, I’m not for making an alliance with the main Unionist parties, but at somestage, if we are to make this work, we have to talk with somebody who is inpower and has control over resources. And is it going to be Sinn Féin, the DUP,or who? These are the type of strategic decisions that we have to make.[Council] As long as there are dissident Republicans we need to be able todefend our communities. The CTI will only go so far when the ‘D’ word isbound to come into it – decommissioning – and our people won’t let usdecommission, not just our members.26The reality is that the war haschanged. If we don’t work outhow we go forward to meet thatchange then we’re not going tobe effectively defending theinterests of our people.
[UDA] If Sinn Féin signs up to policing and goes into government I think theywill sort out the dissidents. Just look at the history of the IRA.[Council] Yes, but to me the dissident Republicans are still working to a SinnFéin/IRA agenda. If the dissidents really wanted to derail everything and startthe war again they would kill somebody in this room or a member of thesecurity forces. So why haven’t theydone it? They’re involved in a lowkeyeffort which helps the Sinn Féinposition without risking the collapseof everything they have gained so far.[Council] We need to get to the stagewhere we will not be deflected by abomb or a bullet. Over 30-odd years,no matter where we have set out togo, it’s been at somebody else’s whim.When the DUP demanded action weWe need to get to the stage wherewe will not be deflected by a bombor a bullet. Over 30-odd years, nomatter where we have set out to go,it’s been at somebody else’s whim....We must have the strength to dealwith things in a different way.provided the muscle. When the IRA killed somebody we retaliated. No matterwhat political ideas or aspirations we might have had they were side-lined infavour of our paramilitary side. We need to be strong enough to get ourselves toa position where no matter what happens to us, we’ll look at it, take it on boardand decide what’s best for the whole organisation and the whole country andour part in it, and move on. We must have the strength to deal with things in adifferent way.[UDA] I agree. If anything happened to me tomorrow at the hands of dissidentRepublicans I wouldn’t want this organisation to react in a negative way.The participants then broke up into work groups with the task: to think aboutwhat their vision might be for Northern Ireland 10 years hence, and about therole the UDA would play in realising that vision.Feedback: A surprisingly large number felt that integrated education was theway forward, to enable young people to become more accepting of each other’sculture. A strong economy was vital, which provided jobs for all young people.Some suggested positive youth programmes to encourage young people todevelop more socially responsible attitudes. Some would like to see integratedhousing, though they felt communities would remain polarised for some time.They strongly believed that the police must act in partnership with the community.Everyone wanted to see the UDA legalised and playing an active role incommunity development work and regeneration. They looked forward to politicalstability within the institutions of government, which should be based on powersharing.They wanted to see good relations exist with the other community andan end to ‘interface areas’, these becoming shared spaces. They wanted to seeacceptance and respect accorded to all cultures, not just the two main traditions,27
Page 1 and 2: CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVEL
Page 3 and 4: IntroductionIn 2005 Northern Irelan
Page 5 and 6: International foundation workshopLo
Page 7 and 8: their organisation was constantly p
Page 9 and 10: allowing the public to see that our
Page 11 and 12: still here. There has to be an hone
Page 13 and 14: [Isr] Is there a consensus regardin
Page 15 and 16: ‘other side’ - relatives were o
Page 17 and 18: preserved and protected, we shouldn
Page 19 and 20: first Palestinian uprising, the fir
Page 21 and 22: [Pal] Can I say that the majority o
Page 23 and 24: [Pal] Despite modern technology the
Page 25: and that’s where we have to go. I
Page 29 and 30: engage about; and what obstacles ar
Page 31 and 32: [Council] The 24th November 10 will
Page 33 and 34: [UDA] We need to inform our members
Page 35 and 36: Compared to the place where I come

Learning from others in conflict - CAIN

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?