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within the Catholic areas. And there is nothing unequivocal about the fact that they do not need to use high explosives against British city centres for as long as the British Government feels afraid that they might. And once they give up their weaponry, that power to intimidate is lost. So, "Now let's move to the Executive".
Students of political theory are taught in their early days that "you can't get an 'is' from an 'ought'." So will those commentators who tell the world that Gerry Adams has said the violence is "over, done with, gone" please note that what Adams said was "Sinn Fein believe the violence we have seen must be over for all of us now, a thing of the past, over, done with and gone". And believing it 'must' is not the same as knowing 'it is'.
Whether or not Adams wants decommissioning now, is beside the point. If he is genuine but cannot deliver he is no longer in control. Either way, if the British Government gives way on the issue of decommissioning, he wins. And the consequences of that do not bear thinking about. The people of Northern Ireland deserve better after what they have suffered and endured this past thirty years.
I have always been optimistic that if the Provos became involved in peaceful politics a point would be reached where to return to 'armed struggle' would leave them isolated and destructible. A report today (8 December) from Dublin suggests that the IRA may be about to decommission some arms. Let us hope so. Then it really can be a Merry Christmas for the people of Northern Ireland. Though for those who lost loved ones their loss may be even harder to bear.
Bert Ward
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