Dallat: Business as usual between DUP and UDA
SDLP East Derry MLA John Dallat has called on the DUP to show consistency in its approach to dealing with groups linked to paramilitaries. Mr Dallat made his comments after a DUP spokesman stated last night that they would continue to work with the UPRG the political wing of the UDA.
He said: “Given the current stance of the DUP, their determination to abandon the public and reduce the Assembly to a farce over paramilitary violence, it is grossly hypocritical that they will be conducting ‘business as usual’ with the Ulster Political Research Group, the so-called political advisors to the UDA.
“The DUP are now performing the ultimate trapeze act, grabbing support from any quarter unconcerned by links with loyalist killer gangs while at the same time using republican killers as an excuse for refusing to engage in a power-sharing government.
“The murder of Brian McIlhagga in Ballymoney this year by the UDA appears to have been forgotten by the DUP and they showed scant regard for the single parent who had a pipe bomb explode on her windowsill a few weeks ago. Equally unimportant to the DUP was the 15 year old boy who was kneecapped and exiled to a hostel in Belfast or indeed the father of a young child who had his leg amputated after a visit by the ‘alternative police force’ operating openly in the Causeway Coast area.
“The UPRG is nothing more than apologists for the UDA, an organisation still involved in intimidation against Catholic-owned businesses and horrific violence against their own community. They are propagandists for those opposed to the PSNI and the rule of law.
“Is the DUP serious that they can continue these double-standards and at the same time masquerade as a credible political party holding the office of First Minister. Can they seriously claim to have peace and reconciliation as a top priority? There can be no ambiguity when it comes to violence on our streets, loyalist or republican.”
The DUP are not fit for Government and never were. Their sectarianism and bitterness towards the Catholic community alone proves this. Everyone knows they are, at the very least, sympathizers when it comes to the terrorist UDA/UVF. They shared the stage with Loyalist paramilitaries at Twaddell and so did the UUP and Orange Order. The Orange Order itself parades with bands named in “Honour” of dead Loyalist psychopaths and many a UVF/UDA member was/are also a member of the Orange Order. DUP members are seen repeatedly attending dead UDA/UVF members parades and memorials, Ruth Patterson and Luke Poots being 2 examples.
The double standards and crude hypocrisy being shown by all of political Unionism seriously damages community relations. In fact Unionism has done nothing, absolutely nothing, to better community relations.
The bottom line Ryan literally and metaphorically. ..!!!
If the DUP are not fit for Government then certainly SF are not fit for government
“If the DUP are not fit for Government then certainly SF are not fit for government”
Is that based on the conduct of Sinn Fein ministers or simply a rant in mope Neill?
Perhaps you could give us some examples of what Sinn Fein has done to improve community relations? I wouldn’t vote for any political party, from either side of the community, which has had any connection , no matter how tangential, with political violence. So you can see why I rarely vote.
“Perhaps you could give us some examples of what Sinn Fein has done to improve community relations? I wouldn’t vote for any political party, from either side of the community, which has had any connection , no matter how tangential, with political violence. So you can see why I rarely vote”
I am not a spokesperson for sinn fein but as an irish nationalist I can point out one thing they have done which if reciprocated from our unionists friends would make a very big difference.
They have accepted the rights of unionists to their british identity, shown respect to their head of state and respected their mandate in office.
Unionists on the other hand deny that the GFA equates the irish identity with that of the british, recognises both jurisdictional claims and enshrines the right of parity of esteem for both.
I would like Unionists to reciprocate by accepting irish citizens in the north are equally entitled to their irish identity, that our head of state is not the queen but the president of the whole island of ireland for whom in the next election the northern citizens will be able to vote for.
So there is one thing Sinn Fein have done that unionists could reciprocate to that would make a major difference.
What say you Willie?
Maybe this is the ultimate stunt Jude.If they are called out on this one they might have to throw their hands in the air and say …”you know you are right!….we can’t possibly have a government like that so we’ll bail out now”… That would be job done …No Stormont …no Sinn Fein project to edge them into a United Ireland .Sinn Fein political progress stymied ….A real showstopper in every sense of the word!
When John Dallat was speaking of DUP links to loyalist killer gangs was he referring by any chance to REDACTED?
Maybe Robbo selected REDACTED thinking TO out-extreme the jilted hopeful for that post, Ruth Patterson.
Yes, the unionists are utterly hypocritical in their ‘show of horror’ attitude to the IRA while openly supporting the UVF and UDA.
But surely Sinn Fein have the perfect opportunity at these Stormont talks to insist that whatever measures the unionists want taken against the IRA, exactly the same measures be taken against the unionists’ killer gangs!
Would no Stormont really be a bad thing?
I get we will be worse off financially, that Britain looks like it will be permanently tory led etc…
But if British rule is really so bad, lets not forget we do have another option within the terms of the GFA.
Perhaps it is time we started to talk seriously at least in a preliminary way about unification of the two parts of the country.
It’s long past time Jessica, but it isn’t going to happen anytime soon. As things stand most of them seem to have trouble responding to a courteous ‘Good Morning’. ..!!
It’s long past time Jessica, but it isn’t going to happen anytime soon. As things stand most of them seem to have trouble responding to a courteous ‘Good Morning’. ..!!
I didnt mean let our political leaders talk about it Larry, I meant a public consultation throughout the island.
That can be kick started by any number of bodies not even related to any political party.
To be honest, I think the discussion should be kept out of the hands of our politicians until they can agree the meaning of manners.
Perhaps its time the people here took our future into our own hands.
Perhaps it is time we started to talk seriously at least in a preliminary way about unification of the two parts of the country.
Why the majority of the people in Northern Ireland don’t want a united Ireland so why would we have to discuss it?
Perhaps it is time we started to talk seriously at least in a preliminary way about unification of the two parts of the country.
“Why the majority of the people in Northern Ireland don’t want a united Ireland so why would we have to discuss it?”
Good point neill, perhaps a border poll is in order to assess the accuracy in your claim first of all.
I think your statement is false but we should of course find out.
If you are confident, you wouldn’t have a problem with that.
Yes, No neill?
Neil, all the statistics suggest a Nationalist voting majority within a generation. Excluding the mythical catholic unionists, it would appear that now might be the optimum time for negotiations from political Unionism. That would be my take on it anyway.
A few points here…..Northern Ireland ,that surreal artificial entity, created through threat of war and maintained through similar threat is not viable in any shape or form…….proven from it’s complete instability since 1921 and through the antics of the Unionism since 1998. Neill , the majority of people here are Irish….FACT …..and until a poll is taken ,you do not know their views on re-unification…..Every single day ,from “House-Training ” ,”Curry my Yoghurt ” ,”Rogues and Renegades” ….and the latest “Holding their Noses” ,Unionism has unequivocally demonstrated that they are incapable of rational thought….it belittles me and embarrasses me to hear people nervously laugh and wonder how you believe this is normal interaction between people……How can we help you?