Learning from others in conflict - CAIN

International foundation workshopLord Hylton opened the workshop. Centred as it was around the UDA’s ConflictTransformation Initiative, he said that it was evident that certain members ofthe UPRG and the UDA had had the courage and the vision to initiate thissearch for a new and peaceful way forward for the Loyalist community, somethingwhich was to be greatly welcomed. He urged rank and file members of the UDAto do all that they could to make this new vision a reality. Lord Hylton expressedthe hope that, once any public scepticism was overcome, there would be apositive response from those coming from the Nationalist and Republican traditions.He felt certain that the majority of people in Northern Ireland did not wish theirchildren to live forever in a divided society. He praised the efforts of JoeCamplisson, who had endeavoured to engage constructively with the Loyalistcommunity since the early 1970s. He commended the Farset Project, not onlyfor its many years of patient work but for providing such an excellent venue forthe workshop. He then welcomed the international participants: from Moldovaand Transdniestria, and from Palestine and Israel. Lord Hylton noted the manyyears of productive engagement between Northern Ireland and Moldova, andwelcomed the fact that this linkage had now broadened to encompass thoseattempting to address the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Finally, he welcomed thefacilitators. In summary, he expressed a hope that not only would the week’swork prove successful in assisting the UDA to progress from where it was nowto where it clearly wished to be, but that the exchange of experiences with theinternational visitors would help the organisation along that path, as well asprove of value to the visitors themselves.Nominated spokespersons then gave a brief introduction to the ten groupspresent: the UDA Inner Council, the UPRG, the five main UDA brigade areas,the Moldovans/Transdniestrians, the Israelis/Palestinians and the facilitators:[Council] The Ulster 4 Defence Association was formed by people who, whenthe ‘Troubles’ 5 broke out, were determined to oppose what was happening totheir communities and their country. We started off as vigilante groups, tryingto protect our communities from attack. Then these groups came together underone structure. It was purely a defence organisation in the early days, but as IRAatrocities got worse we believed that the best way to defend was to attack, torespond to what was happening to our areas by giving the same back to thepeople who were giving it to us. Out of this ongoing conflict the Ulster FreedomFighters (UFF) were born. Many of the people here today have served life inprison, and I am proud to be here representing them. Where do we hope to go?We hope to make Northern Ireland a better place. As Lord Hylton said, we5