Weapons destroyed – but no photographs
THE work of the International Commission on Decommissioning comes to an end today and it is worth reflecting on what they have achieved over more than a decade.
As Northern Ireland emerged from the Troubles we have seen a series of ceasefires come and go and a whole new lexicon of names has been conjured up to describe decommissioning, disarming, disposing of weapons and putting weapons beyond use.
The commission, and the witnesses they have worked with, have done a difficult and dangerous job on our behalf. They are honourable people who have certainly played an important part in improving life in Northern Ireland. In many ways they had a thankless task dealing with the terrorists, who have murdered and maimed their way through the past 40 years, leaving a legacy of blood and despair, and who were prepared to use the process to their advantage.
All the killer gangs have now told us they have given up their weapons and that will come as a great relief for anyone interested in a peaceful future. But apart from a stunt by the LVF, which gave no-one any confidence, the people who were subjected to such brutality by the paramilitaries have never seen a single photograph of a destroyed gun.
The terrorists loved to skulk in the shadows, behind walls and hedgerows, when they carried out their evil actions, but they were never shy of staging so-called shows of strength to pursue their pathetic causes.
Many people wanted to see for themselves the guns and bombs they have apparently destroyed and many others would have liked to see them handed over to the security forces.
It is all about symbolism or as some would see it, tokenism, and in the last couple of days the INLA, the Official IRA and the South Antrim UDA have all told us that their weapons have been destroyed. The timing was obviously influenced by the fact that the legislation offering protection to those who harboured this illegal weaponry was about to elapse.
General John De Chastelain deserves our gratitude for his efforts, but footage of their work could have done so much for public confidence as we move forward.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
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