Mowlam: IRA guilty of murder but talks go on

IN A move widely regarded as a case of pragmatism prevailing over principle, Mo Mowlam, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, declared that she did not believe the IRA ceasefire was disintegrating or breaking down.

This constituted a formal government judgement on the state of the ceasefire after a recent IRA murder and other illegalities, including an attempt to smuggle guns to Ireland from the United States.

The judgement was denounced by most Unionists and by the Conservative Party, though it was reluctantly endorsed in other quarters as a disagreeable step but necessary to protect the wider peace process.

Ms Mowlam described the position of the IRA as deeply worrying, warning that she had "come very close to judging that the IRA's ceasefire is no longer for real". She also decided not to use her powers to halt the releases of republican prisoners.

She said it was quite clear that the IRA had been involved in the murder of Charles Bennett, a republican apparently shot as an informer in late July, and in the attempt to import arms, which emerged during the summer.

She made a distinction, however, between breaches of the ceasefire and a full collapse, declaring: "I do not believe that there is a sufficient basis to conclude that the IRA ceasefire has broken down. Nor do I believe that it is disintegrating, or that these recent events represent a decision by the organisation to return to violence. The peace we have now is imperfect, but better than none."

In political terms, the key response to her words came from the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, who, while critical, did not signal any refusal to countenance Sinn Fein's involvement in the review of the Good Friday Agreement, which is to begin early next month.

He said there was no difference between a breach and a breakdown in a ceasefire: "I do not accept the IRA's definition of a ceasefire. A ceasefire is a ceasefire, is a ceasefire. You are not on ceasefire when you are shooting people." He described Ms Mowlam's announcement as deeply disappointing and deeply flawed, adding that he would use the review to "put the spotlight on the paramilitaries".His acceptance that Sinn Fein should be in the review will come as a great relief to the authorities, who wish to see all sides engage in what is regarded as a crucial exercise.

A much tougher response came from Mr Trimble's colleague, Jeffrey Donaldson, the hardline MP for Lagan Valley, who called for Ms Mowlam's resignation. "This decision is absolutely disgraceful," he said. "After a number of murders by the IRA and gun-running from America, to suggest the ceasefire is intact is a sick joke."

Further criticism came from the Tory party chairman and former Northern Ireland minister, Michael Ancram, who declared: "This is an incredible statement that undermines the peace process. The Secretary of State has acknowledged that the IRA has carried out beatings, shootings and murders, but illogically states that the ceasefire has not broken down."

But John Hume, the SDLP leader, said that while there had been some setbacks, they should not be allowed to derail the peace process.

He condemned last month's murder of Charles Bennett, but said it should not plunge Northern Ireland back into the terrible violence of the past.

"It is not easy when there are deaths like Mr Bennett's but if we are to resolve our problems we have to work to get a society without any violence on the streets," he said. "We've had enormous progress. No one would have believed five or 10 years ago we'd have got this far.

"It's our duty to do everything in our power now to implement the Agreement and achieve lasting peace and lasting stability."

Ms Mowlam also received backing from the Irish government, which said it fully shared and supported her overall judgement that the ceasefire had not broken down. It said the most effective means of ending violence was through consolidating the political process.

Opposition parties in the Republic added their support for Ms Mowlam. The Labour leader and former cabinet minister, Ruairi Quinn, said that while the ceasefire had been breached, it had not broken down. "While the decision was clearly a difficult one, it was also correct," he said.