ALLIANCE Victims Spokesperson Eileen Bell has said that the Chief Constable’s comments today about the level of UDA and IRA violence illustrates why the Government must take urgent action to address the problem.
Mrs Bell stated:
“Between them, the UDA and IRA have engaged in a level of community terrorism over the past year that makes all definitions of a ceasefire look inadequate. Yet while the people suffer, the Government sits on its hands or invites the political representatives of these groups to Downing Street.
“The Prime Minister has shown no backbone whatsoever in dealing with paramilitaries, and seems incapable of coming up with either political sanctions or supporting an appropriate security response. The Government has condemned the people of Northern Ireland to live under the jackboot of paramilitarism, while the Prime Minster has tea with their spokesmen in Number 10.
“There is simply no urgency being exhibited by the Government to deal with this serious abuse of human rights. That is a gross betrayal to everyone who has worked to bring paramilitarism to an end. Not only is the Government killing the peace process, it is allowing people get away with murder.
“We need no more honeyed words. We need action now.”