'It is madness to believe that terrorists protect their communities' says Troubles campaigner Kenny Donaldson in reaction to Queen's University Belfast report
One of Northern Ireland's most prominent Troubles activists has said it is "madness" to believe that paramilitaries protect their own communities.
Kenny Donaldson was reacting to a report published by Queen's University Belfast titled 'Understanding the persistence of armed/paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland'.
The report found that such groups still exist by offering "utility" to communities (including "alternative justice mechanisms") plus drawing on "the historical narrative of a political cause" and through "creating fear".
One of the report's authors, Queen's professor Dominic Bryan, gave an interview on the radio in which he said paramilitaries "provide sorts of services and utilities" and "some of those are very positive", and that "a lot of them are involved in a lot of very positive community leadership".
He also said he is "sympathetic" with the idea "we shouldn't be offering these groups legitimacy".
In response, Mr Donaldson – the director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation – said: "There is no legitimacy for the presence of proscribed terror organisations in 2024 and neither was there justification nor legitimacy throughout the period of the terrorist campaign (aka 'The Troubles')
"There is a legitimate police service which supposedly has support from across the political spectrum and it is only this police service which should be policing communities.
"Terror groupings have in the past given themselves a role in quelling or dealing with 'other crimes' within communities, and sadly some within those communities understand this positively: that these guys are being proactive and doing something to keep our neighbourhoods safe.
"This logic is madness. And Prof Bryan is coming very close to providing a form of justification for the continued existence of such groups.
"We need to see an end to all terror/'paramilitary' organisations, there are no good and bad versions."
And in turn, replying to Mr Donaldson, prof Bryan said: "We are not suggesting the use of violence, or coercive control, is legitimate.
"Our report has been written to underline the need to move to a more peaceful and democratic society.
"What we are pointing out is that some paramilitary organisations do have a level of legitimacy (support) within areas in which they exist. Some people do accept them as an alternative to the police and as 'defenders' of their community and providers of services and representation.
"In addition, despite being 'proscribed organisations' in law their symbols and emblems routinely appear in public on lampposts, walls and in parades without direct intervention from the police or other agencies.
"The resilience of this local legitimacy for paramilitary groups has meant that 30 years on from the ceasefires, they are still active.
"Our report is an attempt to understand why these organisations still exist, highlight how they are embedded within communities and have continued influence.
"We hope that our conclusions might facilitate the further transition to peace."