Rumours on the BBC [and in our comments zone – Ed] that the UDA’s response to the recent meeting with the Social Development minister, and that deadline, will be to call on the services of General de Chastelain [Now why would he do that.. – Ed]. But while the BBC report claims that, “Decommissioning was not part of the contract when the government agreed to fund the three-year project in loyalist areas”, at the time the government made it clear that the funding was dependent on certain conditions being met – “In return for the funding, the government wants to see the end of all UDA violence and criminality, including extortion rackets and drug dealing. If there is no noticeable reduction in these activities, the UPRG has been told that the funding will be withdrawn.” And, besides the limited assessment of the last IMC report [and the fallacy of there being ‘good guys’ – Ed], if that’s the objective, what need of weapons? The UDA and the UPRG, on the other hand, see other inducements connected to decommissioning. Adds Mark Devenport points to criticism of that deadline from the Enterprise minister, Nigel Dodds, to be broadcast tomorrow – although he has his own concerns.. and he’s not the only one who’s been criticising.
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