Thursday, March 15, 2007
Jackie McDonald, the UDA, and equality..
UTV news just carried a report on a St Patrick’s breakfast held at the La Mon hotel. Whilst one of the speakers was DUP leader Ian Paisley the notable part of the report was an interview with one of the guests, UDA leader Jackie McDonald. And we got the rare sight of McDonald commenting publicly on the UDA. But the point to note was not, as the report suggests, his urging of the DUP to go into government with SF, it was his ruling out of UDA decommissioning until “they get what Sinn Féin and the IRA got”. [Are you listening Mr Hain? - Ed] No doubt that message has already been received by those in more regular contact with Mr McDonald. Seems like the Process™ still has some way to go on those poisonous foundations. Updated below Final Update
The quote above, while accurately capturing what Jackie McDonald said, does paraphrase what he said. I had one hearing to get the gist of it since the report was not online. Hearing it again, in the 6pm programme, I’ve had a chance to try to note the actual quote, on when the UDA would decommission.
“Whenever they’re afforded the luxuries that Sinn Féin and the IRA were afforded.. whenever they get what the IRA got.. maybe then.”
Again I’m open to correction on that quote.. the report [15th March] will be online, at some point, here
Final Update Now that the report is online I’ve been able to get the full quote - the relevant section is about halfway through the show.
“Whenever they’re afforded all the luxuries that Sinn Féin and the IRA were afforded, and they’re given some of the things that the IRA got, then perhaps it could be at the horizon but it’s not on the radar at the minute.”
Pete Baker @ 02:07 PM
CL: “Yes, it has been a successful British military tactic to arm and train groups that are sympathetic to the British and opponents of anti-British factions throughout the world, but this is the United Kingdom we’re talking about and the circumstances are fundamentally different so I repute your opinions/attempts to engage me in a slanging match… “
Why, because Loyalists are white Protestants and not some favored minority willing to take British money and the work the British don’t want to sully their hands with? Loyalism WAS willing to do the ugly jobs for the British, few, if any, questions asked. Did you think the British were sharing intelligence out of the goodness of their hearts? Loyalism was a deniable asset, no more, no less.
And, for the record, you have “reputed” nary a thing I have said, preferring bluster to effective counter-arguments.
Loyalism has extorted millions from the honest folk of Northern Ireland and are lining up to demand millions more, all without a serious word on ending criminality or turning in weapons. That alone clearly states where their minds are. All protests of patriotism aside, they have degenerated into a criminal enterprise, plain and simple. To say otherwise is to deny reality.
Posted by on Mar 26, 2007 @ 05:54 PM
