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Date Posted: Tue, Sep 09 2003, 15:26:21 GMT
Author: Liam
Subject: SF to be held accountable for IRA activity in a restored Assembly

A Chairde

Although this post is sectarian, racist and hateful in substance, it is typical of unionist logic.

It is an example of one side's understanding of law.

It also exempifies the misuse of the spirit of the GFA......EQUALITY.

Slán
Liam


Stormont sanctions plan
SF to be held accountable for IRA activity in a restored Assembly

By Brian Walker
brian.walker@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

08 September 2003
THE Government hopes sanctions being introduced at Westminster this week against political parties in a restored Assembly, "won't be used" according to senior Ministerial sources.

However, "identifiable penalties" could be recommended by the International Monitoring Commission announced by Paul Murphy last Thursday, if its members rule that the Asembly members' pledge of office has been breached.

Most controversially, both Governments agree that Sinn Fein in the Assembly can be held liable for IRA activity; "that underlines everything" said the source.

In a move bitterly opposed by Sinn Fein, party members could face suspension or even exclusion from the Assembly for IRA activities beyond the scope of the present ceasefire.

These are the familiar list of offences including intelligence gathering, targeting, training, so-called punishment beatings, exiling and "whether an organisation is directing them or seeking to prevent them."

Sanctions would also apply to breaches of the "institutional arrangements" such as Assembly boycotts and refusal to attend Executive meetings.

Contrary to reports last month, all four commission members - including those from the Republic - are to determine whether a ceasefire has been breached and to recommend what sanctions to make.

This is seen by Jeffrey Donaldson and other dissident unionists as a "breach of the hermetic seal of Strand One," the internal workings of the Assembly.

The two UK commissioners only would assess the lesser "institutional" breaches, more characteristic of the unionist parties.

The commission will be given legal protection from challenges to their monitoring assessments in the courts.

Penalties for unionist obstructionism and a monitored timetable for Army "normalisation" are balancing concessions for Sinn Fein and to some extent the SDLP.

The two Governments are resigned to Sinn Fein opposition and the widespread belief within the unionist parties that the commission plan is unworkable.

But at least it represents an attempt to put pressure on republicans in a form designed to satisfy unionists without bringing the whole house down again.

The moral authority of the independent commissioners might be enough, they hope, to produce compliance without resorting to sanctions.

The best possible route back to devolution, based on a clear IRA statement on acts of completion, is not seen as imminent by Ministers.

However, intensive talks with all the parties are about to be resumed to try to find a basis for a new poll.

According to present law, it must be held by the end of the year.

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