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August 29, 2005

IAUC Action Alert & Press Release

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IAUC ACTION ALERT

I would like to thank all those that responded to our prior
action alert about the IRA statement. It is a big help in
our efforts to achieve a United Ireland. But, we have to
keep up the pressure and not let momentum slip from our
grasp.

As I am sure you are aware, the loyalist paramilitaries
have been particularly active since the IRA statement. They
have been feuding amongst themselves, causing untold fear
in their own communities and they have stepped up their
attacks on nationalist areas in North Antrim, North
Belfast, the Short Strand and other locations. We will not
have progress on implementing the Good Friday Agreement
until these activities are put to an end once and for all.

So once again we are asking you to flood your elected
representatives, the Irish and British governments and your
local media, demanding that steps be taken immediately to
end this loyalist violence. The media in this country
totally ignores loyalist violence, so it is particularly
important that you contact them on this issue.

Please send copies of your letters to us at: iauc@iauc.org
and any replies you receive back.

Jerry Lally, Chair
Political Action Committee
Irish American Unity Conference


Contact info,

Government: http://www.iauc.org/govcontacts.htm
Senate: http://www.senate.gov
Congress: http://www.congress.gov
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IAUC Press Release

ACTION NEEDED ON LOYALIST VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN IRELAND

http://www.iauc.org/rel8-25-05.htm

Washington, DC August 25, 2005 The Irish American Unity
Conference (IAUC) calls for all signatories to the Good
Friday Agreement (GFA), and in particular the British
government, to act on loyalist violence in Northern
Ireland.

In a statement responding to continuing loyalist violence,
retired Judge Andrew Somers, president of the IAUC, said:

"In our opinion, the best hope for a peaceful coexistence
among the different communities in Northern Ireland is the
full implementation of the GFA, which the majority of Irish
citizens voted for, north and south. However, the British
Government's apparent indifference to continuing gangland
feuds between rival Loyalist groups, as well as sectarian
attacks against nationalists, is very damaging to the Peace
Process, and gives comfort to opponents of the GFA.

"Under the much-touted Decommissioning provisions of the
GFA, it is the responsibility of both governments, as well
as all political parties, to use any influence they may
have to achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary
arms within two years of the signing of the GFA. Whereas
the representatives of the nationalist side of the
equation, including the Government of Ireland and Sinn
Fein, have been successful in their efforts to encourage
the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to renounce violence and
engage in decommissioning, the British government has
neglected entirely its obligations to secure the
decommissioning of Loyalist weaponry. This is all the more
astounding, given the British Government's well-documented
intelligence apparatus within Loyalist gangs, which gives
it access at all levels of Loyalist planning."

According to recent press reports, Loyalists have been
involved in one over 100 disruptive acts in the last three
months. Seventy of these were physical attacks that
resulted in five deaths, fourteen non-fatal shootings and
twenty-two bombings. The IAUC notes that many in the media
attribute these actions to an internecine Loyalist feud.
However, a significant proportion of Loyalist paramilitary-
related incidents were targeted specifically against the
Catholic/Nationalist communities.

Judge Somers continued: "The IAUC is concerned that all
communities, and in particular Loyalist communities, are
under siege because Loyalist gangs continue to hold and use
their weapons to terrorize their neighbors. We make no
distinction between victims, and express our sympathies to
Loyalist and Nationalist victims of violence alike.

"The British government, which has demonstrably conspired
with Loyalist gangs in the past, not least in supervising
the transfer of arms, should use its considerable influence
and legal powers to halt these actions immediately.
Moreover, Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party, the
leading unionist party, should not shirk from its
responsibility to demand an end to all Loyalist violence.

"We believe the first step in this process would be for the
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to wake up and
declare what Loyalist and Nationalist victims of violence
have known for years, namely, that some of the major
Loyalist paramilitary gangs have violated any cease-fire
commitments they have made. The British Government must
immediately use its influence to end the violence, and
compel the full decommissioning of Loyalist arms."

# # #

The Irish American Unity Conference is a non-partisan, non-
sectarian, American based human rights organization working
for peace and justice for the people of the six counties in
the north of Ireland.

Contact: Deanna Turner

IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE
National Office
611 Pennsylvania Ave SE #4150
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 1-800-947-4282
Email: iauc@iauc.org
Web: http://www.iauc.org

IAUC Press & Publicity Officer, Jay Dooling can be reached
at: rdooling@swbell.net

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