Letter: DUP once backed anti 1998 deal pledge

As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement and in response to the comments recently by DUP MP Jim Shannon it is worth re-visiting the United Unionist Declaration and Pledge.

It was drawn up in opposition to the Belfast Agreement and signed by many thousands of grassroots unionists. Those of us who signed this Declaration and Pledge were described by fellow unionists, church leaders, business leaders, the Great and the Good etc as dinosaurs, anti peace and peace wreckers. No doubt these same cheer leaders will be to the fore next week when the United State's circus rolls in to town.

It is worth re-stating this declaration:

We, the United Pro-Union people of Northern Ireland, declare our resolute and determined opposition to the Belfast Agreement.

We reject the abandonment of the United Kingdom's sovereignty over Northern Ireland in exchange for an amendment of the Irish Constitution that renders Unionists a mere tradition in the Irish nation.

We repudiate all-Ireland bodies with executive powers and expanding authority designed to develop into a factually United Ireland.

We demand, as British citizens, equality of treatment, the protection of our lives, persons and property, and the return of a democratic and accountable government, free from the domination of violent political terrorism, and in which all citizens have equal rights.

We solemnly pledge ourselves and urge our fellow citizens to ensure, by every lawful means, the rejection of an Agreement designed to destroy the Union.

It should now be clear to every unionist that the Belfast Agreement is designed to destroy the Union and create the Institutions of an all Ireland state. Regrettably some unionists are still sleep walking in to this trap despite warning after warning.

It is galling that the DUP who played a key role in the United Unionist campaign are the very party who are keen to fully implement the Belfast Agreement for their own political expediency. This is the same party whose MLAs meekly followed one by one in to the voting lobbies to endorse Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey as the assembly speaker when they had the alternative of voting a Unionist Roy Beggs Junior. It was the DUP who helped elevate Martin McGuinness to the position of Joint First Minister and have already stated publicly that they will empower Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill as first minister without any thought for the untold hurt this will cause to the innocent victims of IRA terrorism.

It has been particularly shocking to see a DUP minister's officials implementing customs checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Belfast Agreement has delivered nothing for unionism whilst nationalism continues to bank concession after concession as a direct result of its outworkings assisted by naive or career unionists.

The only option left now for unionism is to Defend the Union by bringing the nefarious Belfast Agreement and its structures to an end.

Norman Boyd,

Anti Agreement Unionist, Ex MLA Co Antrim