micheailin o'cinnsealach (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fenian32) wrote,@ 2008-05-16 13:01:00 |
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No early release for UVF-linked prisoners
By Barry McCaffrey
Irish News
**Via Newshound
15/05/08
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward’s decision to respecify the UVF ceasefire will not lead to the early re-lease of paramilitary prisoners, a Prison Service spokesman said last night.
Yesterday Mr Woodward ann-ounced that the British government had decided to recognise
the loyalist paramilitary group’s ceasefire nearly a year after the UVF announced that it was standing down and assuming “a non-military civilianised role”.
“In the light of this, and in acknowledgement of their commitment and additional factors, I have therefore concluded that there are sufficient grounds to
despecify the UVF/RHC,” he said.
PUP leader Dawn Purvis welcomed the decision.
“This is recognition of the work carried out and progress made since the statement of intent of May last year,” she said.
“This is further evidence of Northern Ireland’s strides to-wards normality.”
A Prison Service spokesman dismissed speculation that the announcement would lead to the early release of UVF prisoners.
“It is a matter for an individual prisoner who believes that he meets the criteria for early release to apply to the Sentence Review Commission,” he said.
“However, preliminary checks appear to indicate that there are currently no qualifying prisoners as a result of today’s despecification of the UVF/RHC.”
While acknowledging the ab-sence of UVF violence over the last 12 months, nationalist parties said loyalist decommissioning and an end to crime remained outstanding issues which had to be addressed.
“It should be recognised that the UVF has taken some steps to address some of the clear and well-documented concerns that exist,” SDLP assembly member Alban Maginness said.
“The UVF must only be judged against how they measure up to the task of ending all of their activities.
“This means that there must be complete and verifiable disposal of all weapons, the ending of all criminality and the dismantling
of the command structures and organisation.”
Sinn Fein assembly member Caral Ni Chuilin said that nationalists wanted to see a definite end to sectarian attacks and loyalist weapons being decommissioned.
“Regardless of what the British government chooses to say or do with the UVF, nationalists and republicans will want to see an end to loyalist involvement in sectarian attacks and drug dealing,” she said.
“The issue of loyalist weapons must be definitively dealt with.”
Alliance MLA Stephen Farry welcomed UVF progress but said de-commissioning had to take place.
“It must not be overlooked that the UVF have not decommissioned their weapons and have ruled out dealing with their weapons in an open and transparent manner through the offices of the decommissioning commission,” he said.
“It is not sufficient for the UVF to manage these weapons on their own terms. Their continued existence poses an ongoing danger and threat.”
Yesterday’s announcement was criticised by Raymond McCord whose son 22-year-old son, also Raymond, was beaten to death by a UVF gang in November 1997.
By Barry McCaffrey
Irish News
**Via Newshound
15/05/08
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward’s decision to respecify the UVF ceasefire will not lead to the early re-lease of paramilitary prisoners, a Prison Service spokesman said last night.
Yesterday Mr Woodward ann-ounced that the British government had decided to recognise
the loyalist paramilitary group’s ceasefire nearly a year after the UVF announced that it was standing down and assuming “a non-military civilianised role”.
“In the light of this, and in acknowledgement of their commitment and additional factors, I have therefore concluded that there are sufficient grounds to
despecify the UVF/RHC,” he said.
PUP leader Dawn Purvis welcomed the decision.
“This is recognition of the work carried out and progress made since the statement of intent of May last year,” she said.
“This is further evidence of Northern Ireland’s strides to-wards normality.”
A Prison Service spokesman dismissed speculation that the announcement would lead to the early release of UVF prisoners.
“It is a matter for an individual prisoner who believes that he meets the criteria for early release to apply to the Sentence Review Commission,” he said.
“However, preliminary checks appear to indicate that there are currently no qualifying prisoners as a result of today’s despecification of the UVF/RHC.”
While acknowledging the ab-sence of UVF violence over the last 12 months, nationalist parties said loyalist decommissioning and an end to crime remained outstanding issues which had to be addressed.
“It should be recognised that the UVF has taken some steps to address some of the clear and well-documented concerns that exist,” SDLP assembly member Alban Maginness said.
“The UVF must only be judged against how they measure up to the task of ending all of their activities.
“This means that there must be complete and verifiable disposal of all weapons, the ending of all criminality and the dismantling
of the command structures and organisation.”
Sinn Fein assembly member Caral Ni Chuilin said that nationalists wanted to see a definite end to sectarian attacks and loyalist weapons being decommissioned.
“Regardless of what the British government chooses to say or do with the UVF, nationalists and republicans will want to see an end to loyalist involvement in sectarian attacks and drug dealing,” she said.
“The issue of loyalist weapons must be definitively dealt with.”
Alliance MLA Stephen Farry welcomed UVF progress but said de-commissioning had to take place.
“It must not be overlooked that the UVF have not decommissioned their weapons and have ruled out dealing with their weapons in an open and transparent manner through the offices of the decommissioning commission,” he said.
“It is not sufficient for the UVF to manage these weapons on their own terms. Their continued existence poses an ongoing danger and threat.”
Yesterday’s announcement was criticised by Raymond McCord whose son 22-year-old son, also Raymond, was beaten to death by a UVF gang in November 1997.
