BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- Loyalist paramilitary groups declared a halt Thursday to their violent campaign against nationalists who favor a united Ireland, joining a cease-fire by their enemies in the IRA to bring the first real chance for sectarian peace in 25 years. The Ulster Volunteer Force and Ulster Freedom Fighters, the two main paramilitary groups fighting to keep Northern Ireland with its Protestant majority in the United Kingdom, said in a statement issued by their Combined Loyalist Military Command that their cease-fire would start at midnight Thursday. The loyalist cease-fire was welcomed by Irish and British leaders and politicians on both sides of the political divide. 'This decision effectively signifies the end to 25 years of violence and the closure of a tragic chapter in our history,' Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds told the Irish Republic Parliament in Dublin. 'We are now at a dawn of a new era.' British Prime Minister John Major said, 'It's clearly extremely good news...another very important part of the jigsaw has fallen into place.' Sir Patrick Mayhew, Britain's Northern Ireland secretary, said of the loyalist cease-fire, 'It's overdue but it's very welcome. It's quite obviously an advance and a help to the continuing peace process.' Loyalist politicians said at a news conference in Belfast that the decision by the paramilitaries to declare a cease-fire came after unionists received assurances from London about Northern Ireland's constitutional position as part of the United Kingdom. 'In the belief that the democratically expressed wishes of the greater number of people in Northern Ireland will be respected and upheld, the Combined Loyalist Military Command will universally cease all operational hostilities as from 12 midnight, Thursday Oct. 13, 1994, ' the statement said.
The cease-fire by the loyalists came six weeks after the Irish Republican Army said it was ceasing violence in the hopes of participating in a political solution to the Northern Ireland conflict. The British government is still waiting for the nationalists to make it clear they have permanently renounced violence before beginning preliminary talks with the IRA political wing Sinn Fein. The loyalist statement said: 'The permanence of our cease-fire will be completely dependent upon the continued cessation of all nationalist republican violence. The sole responsibility for a return to war lies with them.' More than 3,000 people have been killed since the latest period of conflict began 25 years ago between mostly Catholic nationalists who want a united Ireland and the mostly Protestant loyalist groups fighting to keep Northern Ireland with its Protestant majority under British rule. In the last three years more people have been killed by the loyalist groups than the nationalists.
Loyalist paramilitary groups declared a halt Thursday to their violent campaign against nationalists who favor a united Ireland, joining a cease-fire by their enemies in the IRA to bring the first real chance for peace in Northern Ireland in 25 years. The Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defence Association and Red Hand Commando said in a statement from their Combined Loyalist Military Command their cease-fire would start at midnight Thursday. The statement was read by Gusty Spence, the former leader of the UVF who served time for the murder of a Catholic man in 1968. He paid tribute to the volunteers of the three groups who died in the past 25 years of conflict in the province, but also offered 'abject and true remorse' to the loved ones of all innocent victims of the conflict. The loyalist cease-fire was welcomed by Irish and British leaders and politicians on both sides of the political divide. 'This decision effectively signifies the end to 25 years of violence and the closure of a tragic chapter in our history,' Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds told the Irish Republic parliament in Dublin. 'We are now at a dawn of a new era.' British Prime Minister John Major said, 'It's clearly extremely good news...another very important part of the jigsaw has fallen into place.' Sir Patrick Mayhew, Britain's Northern Ireland secretary, said of the loyalist cease-fire, 'It's overdue but it's very welcome. It's quite obviously an advance and a help to the continuing peace process.' Loyalist politicians said at a news conference in Belfast that the decision by the paramilitaries to declare a cease-fire came after unionists received assurances from London about Northern Ireland's constitutional position as part of the United Kingdom. 'In the belief that the democratically expressed wishes of the greater number of people in Northern Ireland will be respected and upheld, the Combined Loyalist Military Command will universally cease all operational hostilities as from 12 midnight, Thursday the 13th of October, 1994,' the statement said. The cease-fire by the loyalists came six weeks after the Irish Republican Army said it was ceasing violence in the hopes of participating in a political solution to the Northern Ireland conflict. The British government is still waiting for the nationalists to make it clear they have permanently renounced violence before beginning preliminary talks with the IRA political wing Sinn Fein. The loyalist statement said: 'The permanence of our cease-fire will be completely dependent upon the continued cessation of all nationalist republican violence. The sole responsibility for a return to war lies with them.' Gerry Adams, president of the IRA's political wing Sinn Fein, welcomed the loyalist cease-fire, but used the opportunity to renew his criticism of Major, who he said was delaying the peace process. 'The British government is now the only agency with armed forces under its control which has not ceased its military activity,' he said. 'John Major must stop fumbling with his peace process. This is a unique and historic opportunity for peace, which the British government must grasp.' More than 3,000 people have been killed since the latest period of conflict began 25 years ago between mostly Catholic nationalists who want a united Ireland and the mostly Protestant loyalist groups fighting to keep Northern Ireland with its Protestant majority under British rule. In the past three years more people have been killed by the loyalist groups than the nationalists. In Washington, U.S. President Bill Clinton issued a statement welcoming the announcement, saying he was 'pleased that the United States has been able to contribute to the peace process in Northern Ireland.' 'The cease-fire announcement by the IRA on Aug. 31 and (Thursday's) announcement by Loyalist paramilitaries present the best hope for peace in a generation in Northern Ireland,' Clinton said.
