UUP responds to UVF Stand-Down Statement
Ulster Unionist North Belfast MLA Fred Cobain today responded to the UVF/RHC stand-down statement.
Mr Cobain said,
“The UUP has been working for a long time to see the winding down of loyalist paramilitaries and the disposal of their weapons. We welcome the decision of the UVF/RHC not to continue as a paramilitary organisation, to fully support the lawful authorities and to condemn criminality. While we do not know what precisely is meant by the statement in relation to weapons, we have consistently urged engagement with the IICD as the only way of dealing finally with this issue. We will await a response from the IICD and hope that General de Chastelain will soon be able to publish an inventory of all weapons disposed of from all organisations. In the meantime we hope it signals the destruction of materials of war so that they cannot again be used to inflict harm.
We are now seeing the endgame for all loyalist paramilitaries and mainstream republicans and this will be welcomed by the people who have suffered for many years as a result of conflict. While it is important that the UVF statement did refer to ..’abject and true remorse to all innocent victims of the conflict.’ there will be many today grieving for relatives who suffered over the years.
We must work with renewed vigour to ensure that such conflict is never again visited on our country, and today’s statement must be seen as a positive contribution to a new beginning for Northern Ireland. It remains now for dissident republicans to realise that their cause is hopeless and wind down their organisations in accordance with the wishes of the people.”