The historic statement issued on 3rd May 2007 by the Ulster Volunteer Force and Red Hand Commandos is to be welcomed by all sections of the community.  While it may not have gone as far as many would wish, it none the less points to a profoundly significant process of reflection and transformation which has been taking place over the past three years.

In a process provoked by David Ervine’s challenge to bring an end to paramilitarism and assisted by the wise counsel of, among others, the late Billy Mitchell, the organisations have been involved in a carefully considered examination of their past, present and future.

Their conclusions are to be commended.  Put simply the paramilitarists want something different and better for their children and grandchildren.  While they are proud of their role in defending their communities at a time of great danger and escalating violence, they recognise that our society has changed, we are in a new dispensation and violence is redundant.  It is ineffective in achieving political aims and can no longer be justified.  The leadership, in a decision endorsed by the membership, has determined to stand down the organisation.  A Rubicon has been crossed and the process is now one of ‘normalisation’ and integration into local communities.

I believe this represents a genuine conversion of hearts and minds as demonstrated by the reiteration of ‘abject and true remorse’ for the suffering of innocent victims.  It is not political expediency or an attempt to inveigle money out of the government.  Rather than ask for money they are looking for a commitment on the part of the government to deal more actively with the social inequalities that continue to blight loyalist working class communities.  They are aware, more than most, of the deprivation and suffering in disadvantaged communities and of the sense among loyalists that the dividends of political progress have been unequally distributed.  Their aim is to re-channel their energy and abilities into addressing these social issues primarily by supporting existing community based projects.  They expect government to play its full part in this work.

Ambiguity may remain concerning certain terms used in the statement.  The absence of transparent decommissioning of weapons is, to my mind, regrettable but placing weapons ‘beyond reach’ is a significant step in an ongoing process which has momentum and is moving in a positive direction.  The principle deterrent to decommissioning has been a lack of confidence that politicians would deliver stable devolved government.  Given the rhetoric of the DUP over the past couple of years this is understandable.  The widespread reaction of relief and surprise when the DUP and Sinn Fein finally agreed to share power is evidence that they were not alone in having these doubts. Further progress in establishing a healthy democracy with a devolved government will make full decommissioning of weapons more likely. 

For their part the UVF and RHC need to follow their words with actions.  Demobilizing a paramilitary organisation and re-deploying its members in exclusively peaceful activities cannot be achieved overnight.  The management of change requires forethought and skill but much work has already been done within the organisations in learning new skills including mediation and negotiation skills.

Dealing with criminality is clearly the work of the PSNI and full co-operation from the UVF and RHC should be forthcoming.  Community Policing needs to become a reality not just a topic of discussion.  Restorative justice projects need to be given adequate funding and support.  Astonishingly no government funding has been forthcoming for these projects despite glowing evaluations by independent assessors and a recent Criminal Justice Inspectorate report which was fulsome in its praise.

There is much work to be done in the communities from which these organisations sprang and it will require the best efforts of many of us working together to accomplish it.  Edith Schaeffer once said ‘If you want perfection or nothing you will get nothing’.  The statement of intent is not perfect but I believe it is a genuine expression of a transformation process which is now well established in Loyalist communities.  Furthermore it is a very significant step toward a goal which we all seek, namely an end to paramilitarism and the creation of a peaceful, just and prosperous society.