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Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey today posed the question as to whether there was some choreography going on to lay the ground for the early Devolution of Policing and Justice powers, linked to an amnesty for terrorists and the standing down of the IRA army council. Sir Reg asked whether Northern Ireland could be witnessing the outworking of a side-deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein made at talks in St. Andrews.

In a statement Sir Reg said,

“Before Christmas we saw Gerry Adams calling for the early devolution of Policing and Justice powers, followed by Ian Paisley Jnr. suggesting that the DUP were prepared for it provided that the IRA army council ceased to exist, followed by speculation that there could be amnesties for terrorists and an expunging of records and a redefinition of ‘the troubles’ to ‘a war’. All of this has a whiff of choreography about it.

Are we witnessing the outworking of a side deal made between the DUP and Sinn Fein at St. Andrews?

The question of the devolution of Policing and Justice is not only a matter of the standing down of the IRA Army council. Whether to devolve or not covers a whole range of other issues including confidence in the community, which does not exist at present. This choreography, if indeed it is choreography, is unhelpful and has the capacity to destabilise our fledgling institutions. ”

EMPEY WARNS OF SLIPPERY SLOPE IN DRAWING MORAL EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN TERRORISM AND FORCES OF LAW AND ORDER

UUP Leader Sir Reg Empey said it was a slippery and dangerous slope to draw any moral equivalence between the forces of law and order and terrorism.

It is understood that the “Dealing with the Past” Commission jointly headed by Archbishop Robin Eames and Denis Bradley may be considering suggesting to the Government that what we call ‘the troubles’ should instead be described as a war.

The Ulster Unionist Leader strongly cautioned against such a move and said he believed that such a move would satisfy a key IRA claim that they were the equivalent of an army of a nation state fighting a justified was against an occupying force. It would also be a slap in the face to the families of victims of terrorism and those who were injured at the hands of the IRA.

In a statement Sir Reg said:

“The reality is that the IRA is a terrorist organisation, which was resisted by the legitimate forces of law and order. Calling what occurred in Northern Ireland during our darkest days as a war would enable the IRA to think that they are free to share their murderous terrorism with the world and present it as a war.

Democratic societies across the globe have had the bitter experience of facing terrorist campaigns. An enduring lesson has been that it is fatal for democratic principles to imply a moral equivalence between the forces of the state and terrorist organisations.

It is a very slippery and dangerous slope for anyone to attempt to draw this kind of moral equivalence between the actions of terrorists and the actions of our armed forces who have and will continue to hold the front line against those who have no regard for civil liberties, human rights or the democratic process.”

Following the arson attack on a GAA club in County Fermanagh on Wednesday afternoon, Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey said that those responsible were playing into the hands of those who were attacking and burning orange halls.

Sir Reg said the last thing anyone needed in Northern Ireland was tit-for-tat sectarian attacks that targeted GAA clubs and orange halls. In a statement he said,

“This completely unwarranted arson attack on a GAA club in Fermanagh is exactly the kind of development we were fearing after the recent spate of attacks on Orange Halls. Those who are attempting to ramp up tensions and provoke a retaliatory response by attacking orange halls must not be given the fuel they need. It is self evident that in attacking GAA clubs those responsible are playing into the hands of those burning orange halls.

I would appeal for an end to all attacks. They are unnecessary, stupid and can only lead to further division.”

After meeting with Orange Order Leaders last week on the on-going campaign against Orange Halls and following attacks on Friday evening and Sunday morning, Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey today called for Security Minister Paul Goggins to hold a ‘summit’ meeting with the Police with a view to tackling the escalating problem.

Sir Reg said the government has been too complacent in their approach to the attacks. In a statement Sir Reg said,

‘I met with Orange Order Leaders last week to discuss the ongoing campaign against halls owned and operated by the Loyal Orders. Following this meeting, at which compelling evidence of a ‘campaign’ was produced, I wrote to both the Secretary of State and the Chief Constable.

It is now clear that what has been happening, especially this year, constitutes a deliberate and orchestrated campaign, whose motivation is blatantly sectarian. No other explanation is credible. Despite this evidence, the Loyal Orders face obstacles in obtaining compensation for these attacks. I have called on Shaun Woodward to change the law immediately to make it easier for claims to be paid for this destruction. So far the NIO has taken no action.’

I also called on the chief constable to take a more sympathetic approach to issuing Chief Constable’s certificates, which are essential if compensation is to be forthcoming.

The events over the weekend illustrate that there are still those out there who still feel that they can cause trouble and hope to provoke retaliation. There is far too much complacency about the government’s response to this ongoing threat to stability. That is why I am issuing a call for Security Minister Paul Goggins to call a summit meeting with the Police and the Orange Order to effectively tackle this problem which has the potential to destabilise communities in Northern Ireland.

It’s time for action by the PSNI and the NIO to bring this campaign to an end.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone and former serving member of Ulster Defence Regiment, Tom Elliott MLA has welcomed the announcement that a new welfare services worth £2m a year service to help them deal with the legacy of the Troubles.

Tom said: “This is part of the commitment made by Government as far back as 2006 when as part of the redundancy that a welfare package should be established to help full and part time RIR members resettle, retrain and find new employment and help adjust to a civilian life.

Through all the dark days of the troubles the men and women of the UDR and the RIR Home Service, supported by their families, protected our society from those who sought to impose their will through the ways of terror. Many of these soldiers lived in remote border areas and had to remain vigilant 24 hours everyday, just to survive from an ever present threat from terrorists

One of the key elements of the disbandment programme is an after care system that will be available to some 60,000 men and women who served in the UDR and RIR , as well as their families who for many years felt as if their contribution and sacrifices were forgotten. Today our thoughts and prayers are especially with the families and comrades of the 274 serving and former UDR and RIR Home Service personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice defending our society. I feel so often that our Government fail to recognise the huge contribution that our armed forces give throughout the world, whether in Northern Ireland, Iraq or Afghanistan and it is only fitting after all these years that we now have in place a package which can assist former soldiers to treat them and their families with fairness and dignity.”

Ulster Unionist Police Board Member Basil McCrea, speaking ahead of a Police Board meeting with the Chief Constable to discuss the implementation of a Taser pilot scheme, said that while it was right and proper to hold Policing matters to account, the Board’s function was not to tell the Chief Constable what to do as this would amount to political policing.

In a statement Mr McCrea said,

“The introduction of the Taser has raised many questions amongst board members and as Chair of the Human Rights and Professional Standards Committee i will be asking the Chief Constable questions about operational guidance and procedures for deployment of the Taser units, the procurement process and what training will take place.

In addition we want the ground rules for use firmly established and call on Taser use to be justified where the officer honestly and reasonably believes that it is immediately necessary in order to prevent a real risk of death and serious injury.

These are sensible questions to be raising. What we cannot and must not do, particularly from quarters whom have called for an end to perceived political policing, is interfere or seek to make political decisions for the PSNI. My own personal view is that the Chief Constable’s operational independence must be safeguarded at all costs and at all times.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has welcomed the decision by Dungannon PSNI to organise an information event at East Tyrone College, Circular Road, Dungannon at 10.00am on Thursday 6 December 2007 to promote a better understanding of road safety by foreign workers in the district.

Tom said: “There has been a rapid increase in the number of migrant workers coming to live and work in Northern Ireland and none more so than in Dungannon which has probably the highest and most diverse range of nationalities. Many of these migrant workers have many problems to face, housing, employment and language but another problem is the soaring number of accidents / offences involving foreign motorists on Northern Ireland roads.

This event will offer practical advice and help on a wide range of issues, road safety, MOT certificates, speeding, drink driving, insurance, driving licences and fixed penalty offences, interpreters will be in attendance. I would encourage as many people as possible to attend this event.

The most critical time on our roads for many migrant workers is the first few weeks after they have arrived in the UK, as they adapt to the different motoring conditions and I believe it would greatly assist migrant workers if, when they apply for a work permit that they should have the necessary information available to them on road safety / laws that operate in Northern Ireland before they arrive in the country. We have already experienced a number of foreign workers being killed on our roads and anything which can be done to reduce road fatalities should be considered. There is a worrying upward trend in the number of accidents and offences involving migrant workers in the district and the message are not reaching all the different nationalities on the importance of road safety.

After such an appalling weekend of road traffic accidents, which resulted with 6 people being killed, anything that can halt the number of deaths should be considered. The standard of driving by some of our own nationals leaves a lot to be desired and anything which can be done to assist foreign nationals aware of the importance of road safety and laws is very welcome”

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey today called on Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to disassociate himself from the IRA calendar on sale in Sinn Fein bookshops if a serious attempt was going to be made in the USA to present a united investment front.

In a statement Sir Reg said,

“While I welcome any united front of behalf of OFM/DFM to attract investment and that this visit to the United States is a curtain-raiser for the massive investment conference scheduled for the summer, I think it is important for the Deputy First Minister to send out a strong message and disassociate himself from the IRA calendar on sale in his party’s bookshops.

For a Deputy First Minister, representing all of the people of Northern Ireland and lobbying on our behalf on the benefits of a peaceful Northern Ireland for companies to invest in, it is unacceptable and a clear mixed message to be a member of a party that glorifies terrorists by selling calendars of armed gunmen in their party shop.

Martin McGuinness should call for the removal of this calendar from his party’s shops.”

Ulster Unionist East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs said that no rational person could argue with the common-sense nature of the consultation on the proposal for a draft Criminal Justice (NI) Order but that the Assembly Consultation was an elaborate smokescreen, designed to smooth the path for the devolution of Policing and Justice.

In a statement Mr Beggs said

“Minister Goggins’ consultation on introducing issues such as removing remission for dangerous sexual and violent offenders, introducing curfews and electronic tagging, and increasing sentencing for knife crime is long overdue. No reasonable person would oppose these proposals. The question is why has the NIO forwarded this Order to the Assembly as part of the consultation process?

I believe that this is part of the out-working of the St Andrew’s Agreement between Sinn Fein and the DUP. It is interesting to note that the chief Whip of the DUP, Lord Morrow proposed the motion and the chief Whip of Sinn Fein, Ms Ni Chuilin seconded the motion to establish an ad-hoc Committee to look at these justice issues. It is, to the untrained eye, a fairly innocuous and common sense piece of legislation. However what the Assembly consultation does is set the tone and paves the way for what Lord Morrow’s and Ms Ni Chuilin’s parties agreed behind closed doors at St. Andrews – the devolution of Policing Justice.

The Ulster Unionist Party has agreed to sit on this ad-hoc Committee to keep a watching brief. We cannot oppose common sense proposals that would be of benefit to the people of Northern Ireland but we can and will point out the underlying motives for this Assembly consultation and in doing so we re-state our opposition to the transfer of Policing and Justice matters to the Executive and Assembly. Given the recent events in South Armagh it is clearly much too early for Policing and justice to be devolved to Northern Ireland.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has described the murder attempt on a police officer in Dungannon this evening as cowardly and disgraceful.

Mr Elliott said: “Obviously my first concern is for the well-being of the injured officer. I hope that his injuries are not too severe and that he will soon recover to full health.

“This has all the indications of going back to the dark days of the troubles in this province. At a time when many thought that the new political dispensation would eradicate this type of incident it appears that some republicans want to continue the murderous campaign of the last four decades. This is cowardly, dastardly action of people who are enemies of this province.

“I understand there has been a heightened security threat in the area during the past few weeks and I have concerns that this may not have come from the normal dissident republican source but from a source close to mainstream republicanism. If this is accurate it could have far-reaching consequences for the political situation in Northern Ireland.

“The timing of this incident is important in that Sinn Fein had failed to nominate its members of the District Policing Partnership last month and was due to nominate at tonight’s Council meeting. The shooting took place just a short distance from the Council offices. The Council meeting was postponed following the incident.

“I have spent the last three hours at the scene of the shooting in Dungannon and the local people there are in a state of shock and disbelief. They had clearly hoped that there was an end to this type of incident a long time ago.

“This incident just proves that you cannot trust these republicans who will go to any lengths to destroy the people of Northern Ireland.

“There is an urgent security review required in the province and I will seek an early meeting with the Secretary of State and the Security Minister Paul Goggins.”