IRA tries to make peace, not war, says report

The marching season passed peacefully. Picture / Reuters

BELFAST - A fascinating insight into the intricacies of how the IRA is turning away from terrorism - against the wishes of some members - is contained in the latest report into paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.

The Independent Monitoring Commission is regarded as a window into how IRA activity is assessed by the police, military and security services in Britain and Ireland.

With a heavy intelligence input, its reports are treated with caution but the latest report gives a believable picture of how the IRA, an organisation which claimed almost 1800 lives over many decades of violence, is transforming itself.

Three years ago, it had ceased all attacks on the security forces and cut off involvement in public disorder but remained involved in criminal activities such as violence and robbery.

But, more recently, the report says, there has been a progressive dismantling of its military structures, an absence of sanctioned acts of violence and efforts to stop criminal activity. In total, this is described as a pattern of "working to ensure full compliance" with a peaceful strategy.

In particular, the organisation has disbanded the sections responsible for gathering arms and other material, for engineering (weapons-making) and for training. It has also stood down volunteers and stopped allowances to them.

The report says remaining structures are concerned with "preserving the cohesion of the organisation and serving the wider purpose of the republican movement as a whole in a period of major change of strategy and direction". When there have been requests for the IRA to "discipline anti-social behaviour" - that is, to carry out shootings or beatings of those acting illegally - it has refused to do so.

On the streets, senior IRA members have played key roles in securing a peaceful marching season, on some occasions "confronting troublemakers from the republican community and being in the front line to stop people from responding to what they saw as provocation". It has also turned away people who have sought to join the IRA, telling them to join Sinn Fein instead. The IRA's guns have gone: a small number have been retained by activists but this was despite the instructions of the IRA leadership.

The organisation has also clamped down on the involvement of members in criminality, investigating incidents and expelling some members.

This steady rundown of the IRA has not been greeted with unanimous support in its community and has, in fact, created some tension and mistrust within the organisation.

But the report believes the IRA leadership is persisting and will successfully manage the various disagreements. Its general tenor is that the one-time fearsome organisation is being carefully and cautiously dismantled.

Change in direction and style

* Three years ago the IRA ceased all attacks on the security forces and ended its involvement in public disorder. But it remained involved in criminal activities such as violence and robbery.

* The Independent Monitoring Commission report says there has been a progressive dismantling of its military structures, and an absence of sanctioned acts of violence.

* It has disbanded the sections responsible for gathering arms and other material, for making weapons and for training. It has stood down volunteers and stopped allowances to them.

* When there have been requests for the IRA to "discipline anti-social behaviour" - that is, to carry out shootings or beatings of those said to be joyriders or thieves - it has refused to do so.

* Senior IRA members have played leading roles in securing a peaceful Protestant marching season, on some occasions "confronting troublemakers from the republican community and being in the front line to stop people responding to what they saw as provocation".

* It has also turned away people who have tried to join the IRA, recommending they join Sinn Fein instead.

- INDEPENDENT