Alliance welcomes IMC Loyalist Report

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Sep 2005

Alliance Party Justice Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has welcomed the decision of the Independent Monitoring Commission to present a special report on the situation within Loyalism to the Secretary of State

Stephen Farry stated:

"This is a necessary move on the part of the IMC. When Alliance first proposal its creation, it was intended to shine a spotlight on the continued dark deeds of all paramilitary groups.

"The UVF are clearly out of control, with several murders being attributed to that organisation over the summer. The disgraceful riots in Woodvale yesterday, though too late for this report, only confirm this situation.

"Hopefully, this move will now force the hand of Government in recognising that the UVF ceasefire is non-existent. This is something that perfectly clear to the whole community in Northern Ireland.

It was within the power of the Government to pronounce on the UVF ceasefire without an IMC report, and it was also within the power of Government to request a special report without leaving the IMC to take the initiative.

"The time of semantics about 'ceasefires' only applying to attacks on the state or the other side are long since past. It is time to recognise that all paramilitary violence is a threat to democracy, human rights and the rule of law."