A commission which includes loyalist paramilitaries has called on republican paramilitary groups to join them in achieving calm at sectarian flashpoint areas.  In a statement today, the Loyalist Commission admitted loyalist paramilitaries had been involved in causing trouble along Belfast's peace lines.

But it claimed it was "only in a defensive capacity" adding: "When Sinn Féin/Provisional IRA stop the trouble on their side, the violence will stop."

The commission includes members of the three loyalist paramilitary groups -- the Ulster Volunteer Force, Red Hand Commando and the Ulster Defense Association.

Its call came after a summer of almost nightly street violence in flashpoint areas of east and north Belfast.  The commission - which was set up to give political analysis to the paramilitary groups - said it welcomed an appeal for calm by the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin
Eames, on Friday.

It said it would "do all it can to encourage a period of calm within loyalist communities suffering from relentless attacks as a direct consequence of republicans politically orchestrated tensions."

It added: "We trust that (Catholic Primate of Ireland) Archbishop (Sean) Brady will voice his endorsement of Archbishop Eames' statement and likewise appeal for a period of calm.  Loyalist paramilitaries admit to being involved in interface trouble but only in a defensive capacity.  There would be no need for their involvement if the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) were doing their job."

The commission expressed disappointment that republicans had not responded to its initiative on June 15, vowing that  there would be no first strike by loyalist paramilitaries in flashpoint areas.

It accused republicans of exploiting sectarian tensions and initiating violence for political reasons.  "Whatever their aims, they have only brought more fear, hurt and intolerable conditions to both sides and driven further wedges between our communities," it added.

It said only "honest and sincere communication across our communities can replace the blame game and the propaganda issued in support of unacceptable behavior on both sides."

A heightened security operation was put in place last Thursday night after a senior police officer blamed the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force and the IRA for orchestrating the violence in east Belfast.

However, Sinn Féin strongly denied police claims of IRA involvement in the violence.

The following are news transcripts from Sept. 2 and 3, 2002, with various individuals discussing the call for calm issued by Northern Ireland's Loyalist Commission. The transcripts are courtesy of the Northern Ireland Information Service.

JANE LOUGHERY - LOYALIST COMMISSION - UTV LIVE

JANE LOUGHERY

Violence has erupted in flashpoint areas of Belfast on an almost nightly basis throughout the summer.  On Friday, the Church of Ireland Primate called for calm.  Though in response, the Loyalist Commission, which is made up of paramilitaries, church leaders, politicians and community workers, met four journalists for the first time to issue a statement. 

In it the group says, it will do everything it can to encourage a period of calm within loyalist communities, adding, loyalist paramilitaries admit to being involved in interface trouble, but only in a defensive capacity.  The Loyalist Commission expressed disappointment, that in their words, republicans had not responded to its initiative on June 15, vowing that there would be no first strike in flashpoint areas. 

They further accused them of exploiting sectarian tensions, and initiating violence for political reasons.  The group insists, when Sinn Féin stop the trouble on their side, the violence will stop.

The Loyalist Commission maintains, a period of calm entered into honestly and transparently can be of enormous relief to civic society.
 

GARY MASON, METHODIST MINISTER, LOYALIST COMMISSION, GMU        

WENDY AUSTIN

Gerry Kelly had to say there.  His response to the statement in which he said he welcomed it, is trying to be positive, although he is still in some ways skeptical about it, but do you feel that there is something to build on there?

GARY MASON

Yes I feel there is.  There is no doubt there is skepticism on both sides of the community, there is no question about that.  But I think Gerry Kelly has welcomed Archbishop Eames' statement and really the Loyalist Commission have attempted to build on top of Archbishop Eames' statement calling for a period of calm and I believe Gerry Kelly is also calling for that period of calm, which to me is positive, if that is what he is saying.

WENDY AUSTIN

We were talking, as I am sure you are aware, to Archbishop Eames on the program earlier and I put it to him that the Loyalist Commission seems to be asking him to become more involved as well, perhaps even to use his influence to get Archbishop Brady to come on board as well.  Am I reading that correctly?

GARY MASON

I think the Loyalist Commission was also asking that Archbishop Brady should endorse Archbishop Eames' statement and I mean that is a choice for Archbishop Brady.  I mean he needs to make his own personal response in relation to that.

WENDY AUSTIN

You will have heard Archbishop Eames perhaps saying that he is prepared to do whatever he possibly can to help you, is that helpful as well?

GARY MASON

Yes very much I do.  I think all the church leaders got a copy of the statement last night.  I know Archbishop Eames got a copy.  My own Methodist President got a copy and the Presbyterian Moderator got a copy.  There is no question the church have a role to play in this here in trying to move these communities out of the difficult awful violence that has been going on over the summer.

WENDY AUSTIN

I suppose there would be those who would hear what you are saying Mr. Mason, and would say well there hasn't been much evidence up to now that those at the forefront of the kind of violence that we have seen, whom many people regard as being just sectarian thugs, that they don't tend to have too much of an ear for what bishops and archbishops have to say.

GARY MASON

Yes, I would agree with you.  I think, I mean, that there have been thugs involved, there is no question about that.  I think the Loyalist Commission statement is a step in the right direction.  It is not going to resolve everything, but I think there has been an attempt there and I want to commend that attempt. 

I think I also would commend the honesty in the statement as well.  They have put their hands up and they have said yes we have been involved in violence and speaking as a Christian Minister I commend honesty where people actually say, I have done wrong and I want to move this situation forward.  To me that is positive.

WENDY AUSTIN

Do you think, Mr. Mason that there is a chance perhaps of them taking even another step, and I know it may be asking a lot given that this has been a big step to get this statement, but it is fine to say we admit that we have been involved only in a defensive capacity, as the loyalist paramilitaries say and that if the other side stop then they will stop too?  Would you be hopeful that you might be able to say well why not take that step first yourselves?

GARY MASON

Yes, I would agree with you.  I think as Gerry Kelly said the whole thing is complex.  As Gerry Kelly was speaking there, I am sitting at my desk here and I could have reached out for my calculator and attempted to count up how many pipe bombs, blast bombs, fireworks, petrol bombs that have been thrown by either side. 

I think this is a step in the right direction and I think the Commission have also said that communication should take place between the two communities.  That was said in their statement of 15th. That may not necessarily happen today.  But I think a period of calm will allow hopefully some confidence between the two communities, and gradually some dialogue to be encouraged.

GERRY KELLY, SINN FEIN, GMU                                   

SEAMUS MCKEE
How do you view the statement?  Is it helpful?

GERRY KELLY

I think that the statement's words and deeds are helpful.  Let me make it clear, because there has been a number of accusations that the republicans did not answer the June 15 statement and I answered on that day in the Short Strand, so let me make Sinn Féin's position clear. 

We do call for calm.  We have been on the ground trying to have calm.  Let me also say that Archbishop Eames, when he was speaking I think last Friday made a very welcome statement.  We have said and other politicians have called on church leaders to show leadership and I think this has shown leadership. 

But I have to say that there is a skepticism, especially after the summer of massive loyalist attacks on Catholics areas, I mean the 'no first strike' position which was out on June  15 was immediately broken and this defensive capacity, you know, nationalists will know is a bit of a nonsense. 

Having said all of that, having said all of that, I think that if this, and it is a very big if, if this is a sign that we are moving into a period of calm then no one will be more pleased than the people in those nationalist areas.

SEAMUS MCKEE

They say loyalist paramilitaries have been involved in violence.  Now you already take an exception, in your answer there, to the use of the phrase 'but only in a defensive capacity', however they have done more in admitting loyalist paramilitaries are involved than republicans have done in relation to IRA involvement.

GERRY KELLY

I don't think it is as honest as you make out.  I said that actions and words count here.  And I think as a political party we have been trying to put through a position both in the Assembly, which we are doing at the moment, and also in the Belfast City Council, of a united political front against sectarianism and I think that is a very practical thing. 

We have also asked for international observers, whom we hope will be acceptable to both sides so that this blame game, this argument about who starts what or in fact who does what can be looked at from an objective position. 

So we don't end up arguing over this blame game and thirdly I think that what we need is an accountable communication system and I do welcome, I think in there somewhere there was the mention of an honest and sincere communication and I think that we need to have some sort of accountable phone network - what has been missing in the past, because we argue over that as well - is an objective monitoring system of how these communications work.

SEAMUS MCKEE

I will come back to that but I noticed that you didn't deny IRA involvement in the violence.

GERRY KELLY

I cannot argue for or against the IRA, what I am saying is that republicans are on the ground both in Short Strand and in North Belfast, which I know definitively trying to calm the situation.  Now the thing has got out of hand on a number of occasions. 

There is a series of riots that have taken place.  Five seconds, if not 15 seconds after they start, can anybody honestly end up knowing exactly what started it.  But what I do know is that the military attacks, the vast, vast majority of them have come from the loyalist side.

SEAMUS MCKEE

But the IRA has been involved in violence in the interfaces.

GERRY KELLY

Well, I don't know if it has been involved or not.  There are a number of republicans organizations in any of these areas.

SEAMUS MCKEE

Well, if it is not the IRA, who is doing it?

 GERRY KELLY

What I can say clearly, very clearly, is that the vast, and when I say the vast majority of these attacks and it can be proven if you look at the military attacks, there are statistics which the PSNI won't even release, but which, if you go into your own archives, you will find over the last number of years we are talking about a proportionality of well over 90% of the attacks are on Catholics, and that is the difficulty we have here.

SEAMUS MCKEE

Mitchel McLaughlin on the program the other morning categorically denied IRA involvement.  Now you don't seem to be going as far as that.
GERRY KELLY

Well, then, let me say that the IRA are not involved in these attacks, that the IRA ceasefire is clearly intact.  What you asked me at the beginning was there any attacks coming from the nationalist side, and I don't think that that can be denied, there are number of people who have been shot..

SEAMUS MCKEE

And what is your view?

GERRY KELLY

I am saying the IRA is not involved.

SEAMUS MCKEE

If it is not the IRA, who is doing it?

GERRY KELLY

Well let's not get into a messing, I mean you invited me onto the program.  I am trying to be positive about a statement which I have a lot of skepticism about and now we are spiraling down into you and I in a blame game.  It is not very helpful.

SEAMUS MCKEE

If I could just make the point.  What I am trying to do is to represent to you some things on behalf of people who might be equally skeptical from their side about the things that republicans are saying.

GERRY KELLY

Frankly, I already know that part of the situation here is that loyalists believe and have said publicly that they think republicans are involved in winding the situation up.  What I am trying to say categorically, and I say it with the view that it will not be believed in just me saying it, is that republicans have no political agenda.  I notice they use the word "political agenda." 

I cannot work out what the political agenda could be.  There is no political agenda for republicans.  There are people suffering on both sides at the interfaces and very badly.  I have been in the houses.  I know the type of process which is every night not being able to sleep, that type of process which is affecting people, people nearly killed and there have in fact been a number of people killed. 

So in all of that I am saying that dialog is necessary, that in fact I have been found personally in and certainly Alex Maskey and others have been trying.  I welcome the fact that Robin Eames has made this call and I hope, I hope that it is a sign, but I would be less than honest to say that people on the ground in nationalist areas would just take this and say oh that is great, there is a statement.  They have a certain serious skepticism.

SEAMUS MCKEE

You have tried to meet the Loyalist Commission haven't you?

GERRY KELLY

I have in fact, it is on public record as having met the Chair.

SEAMUS MCKEE

You have met the Chair then?  And do you plan further meetings with them?  What do you think could be achieved?

GERRY KELLY

I prefer, I know this is not helpful, but I prefer to make no further comments on that.  I think what we are trying to do in all this process is to move into a period of calm, if we can get that window opened up and extended, then certainly that is my aim and hopefully is the aim across the board.

ARCHBISHOP ROBIN EAMES, GMU                                          

WENDY AUSTIN

at least be relieved to know that someone is listening and that they have decided to take your words to heart and to move on them?

ARCHBISHOP EAMES

Of course I am encouraged.  Often when you say things as a church leader you wonder who is listening but I am very encouraged by the Loyalist Commission response and I am now asking that those who they have mentioned, namely the nationalist and republican leaders would take seriously, what I think is a quite significant step.  But obviously it is going to really, the test is what happens on the ground.  But I am hopeful that this is a first step towards that.

WENDY AUSTIN

A significant step you say but at the same time the statement from the Loyalist Commission makes it very clear that it believes that loyalist paramilitaries are only involved in a defensive capacity and they are not going to stop until the others stop.

ARCHBISHOP EAMES

Well, we have had all this before haven't we.  I am not concerned with the blame game.  I am not concerned with simply people scoring points like this.  I am concerned, as I think most right thinking people in the province are concerned with getting an end to this. 

And any step, no matter how small, no matter how it is couched like this, this step is significant.  Now what I think has got to happen now is a period of calm in which both sides recognize that it is in the interest of everyone to make contacts, to make those contacts work. 

I know that those contacts exist.  I know that there are people working extremely hard on the ground, churchmen, leaders of communities, social workers, politicians.  I am simply trying as a churchman to say look, now is the time to push it forward.

WENDY AUSTIN

They believe that one of those who needs to be involved in pushing it forward is you actually.  They say that in welcoming your statement they are hoping that you are able to extract a positive republican reaction and they are also looking to you to encourage Archbishop Brady to endorse what you have said and perhaps for the two of you to become involved in this.

ARCHBISHOP EAMES

Well, everyone knows that I have always offered what services I can to try and bring peace to Northern Ireland.  I think that there is no one can doubt that I am willing to do what I can. 

But we have to have a first step and that first step I think is beginning to take shape and anything that I can do or those who work with me can do will of course be offered in an attempt to try and stop this mayhem, because as I said in my original statement, unless we come to sense and unless we try to bring some sort of end to it, someone is going to loose their life.

GERRY KELLY - DOORSTEP -

MEDIA

Just tell me what your meeting with Des Browne was about today?

GERRY KELLY

Well as you know there have been a series of meetings arranged, I mean, with Sinn Féin today, and I believe he's meeting the other parties.  There will be a further meeting, if you remember, just before the holidays there was an all party meeting, which was trying to deal with the interface issue, and the violence there.  This was the continuation of that, and there will be another all party meeting, we haven't got a date yet, but certainly in the next couple of weeks. 

So it was a continuation of that.  Obviously the Loyalist Commission statement, sort of loomed large, I'll repeat what I said this morning.  To make clear from Sinn Féin's point of view, we call for calm, we have been working for calm. 

I welcome Robin Eames', Archbishop Eames' statement from last week.  We have at times, as politicians, called for church leaders to show leadership.  I think this is, some leadership has been shown, and should be welcomed.  But alongside that, I have to say, I have to reflect the skepticism of the Loyalist Commission statement, there was a lot of blame in it, as is their wont. 

But, if this is saying that we're going into a period of calm, then there will be nobody happier than the nationalist and republicans on the interfaces areas.  We have gone through a terrible summer, after their initial statement, and I repeat after they said the first strike statement.  So people are skeptical, but I'm trying to draw some sort of positivity out of this, and certainly let me repeat what I have said many times before. 

I'm willing to meet anybody, and we have in fact instigated contact through Alex Maskey and myself and others, over the summer months, and we hope to continue that.

MEDIA

Do you think the responsibility now lies with the republican movement to bring calm to these interfaces areas?

 GERRY KELLY

No, let me repeat what republicans have been doing throughout the summer.  We have been in the interface areas, and I know that Alan McQuillan has said that he has reports of leading republicans in these areas. 

I can tell you what they are there for is to try and calm the situation into standing with the residents in nationalist areas, during a period of absolute onslaught, and it is there to keep the peace, and keep calm.  Now, so let me repeat it. 

I did answer the Loyalist Commission, the Loyalist Commission are complaining that no-one answered or reciprocated their statement.  I answered the statement on the day it was made because I was in the Short Strand in the middle of an attack on the Short Strand, and I said, and I'll repeat it. 

We want peace.  We are for the peace process.  We are for the Good Friday Agreement.  This is an anti-Agreement agenda.  It is people who do not want the peace process to work, and we will play our part, and have been playing our part in trying to remain calm. 

What we need is you know, actions speak louder than words.  We need to see what this statement will actually turn into.