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Northern Ireland investment 'would help Libya atone for arming IRA'

Tuesday, 3 November 2009

Libya should make a substantial investment in Northern Ireland's economy to make amends for arming the IRA, a delegation to the north African state said last night.

The aid would boost peace and reconciliation for all those affected by decades of republican violence, the Westminster parliamentary group added.

Victims have sought compensation from Tripoli after it boosted the IRA with tonnes of the explosive Semtex as well as thousands of rifles, small arms and flame throwers.

DUP MPs Jeffrey Donaldson and Nigel Dodds said they were welcomed with great courtesy.

"This has been a constructive and positive first direct engagement with the Libyan authorities," they said.

"It constitutes a major milestone in our campaign on behalf of all those who have suffered because of Libyan involvement in helping IRA terrorism."

They met Abdulati al-Obidi, Secretary for European Affairs, Ali Shamekh, Secretary of the General People's Congress and Tripoli mayor Dr Ali Reeh among others.

The team presented a proposal that Libya participate in a humanitarian programme for peace and reconciliation for the benefit of all affected in the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland, including:

substantial business and infrastructure investment
wide-ranging community development projects
Bringing closure for those who have suffered in the past, including resolution of existing claims by UK citizens involving Libya.

Mr Donaldson and Mr Dodds added: "We emphasised the great importance of the proposal as a new and innovative means of giving such closure to the past and providing a firm foundation for future progress in Northern Ireland."

The Libyan authorities are ready to consider further details of the proposals, which we will be sending to them this week, they added.

"We have come a long way so far but this remains a work in progress and we do not expect an immediate result."

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sean from co down,

Please return to planet earth! When will you ever tell the truth and stop betraying your bitterness to the rest of the world with your rabid republican propaganda, where you try to justify the murder of thousands of innocent people (Protestant and Catholic, Irish and British) by the IRA, in the name of a United Ireland?

Gerry Adams and the other leaders in the Republican movement now sit in a Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont. Thank goodness that they and others now accept that violence was futile and only inflicted unnecessary suffering.

As for the victims of the IRA murder machine, I wish them well in their long fight for justice, in whatever form it may take. They deserve it. The pain that these families have suffered is unimagineable.

Posted by Cliff | 03.11.09, 22:39 GMT

If they paid for Belfast to have a decent tram system like Dublin, this would be of equal benefit to all and a fine symbol of their willingness to make good some of the damage they caused.

Lives can never be replaced, but a substantial investment would indicate a genuine apology, and leave a lasting legacy for the future. Libya can easily afford this. Ireland sponged billions out of Europe. The least we could expect is a billion or two from the good Colonel.

Posted by man dingo | 03.11.09, 20:01 GMT

There's a saying that's on a wall of a shop in Montgomery Street in Belfast that I think is apt thenewmule & Graham. Check it out if you havent saw it.

It goes something like this: A nation that keeps one eye on the past is wise, a nation that keeps two eyes on the past is blind.

More people should heed that advice.

Posted by In The Name Of The Fada | 03.11.09, 16:25 GMT

Perhaps the UK government should hand that money straight over to the survivors of the war of genocide inflicted on the east Timorese people by Indonesia using British supplied military hardware. Or we could compensate the Cubans for the illegal naval and financial blockade; or the Afghans; Iraqis? Vietnamese? Algerians? Somalis? need I go on? Would the DUP extend their efforts to these victims of state sponsored and inflicted terror? or are victims only useful at the ballot-box?

Posted by Malachy Mulligan | 03.11.09, 14:38 GMT

Well said newmule, if people remain so utterly determined to hark back to the past we'll never, ever move on, because the past is the one thing in life that will never, ever change. It's high time Northern Ireland left the 1950s behind for good. As for the general principle of having Libya investing in Northern Ireland, I would have thought there are more obvious places to go looking for investment. If it's just about trying to 'punish' them for the past, I for one think they should be treated the same as people who were involved in the Troubles at home. Accept they did something wrong, forgive them if you can and then move on. And if you can't forgive them, move on anyway. Sorry to break it to the diehards, but sometimes you just don't get a sorry, and waiting on one forever hurts you far more than the person who you're waiting for it from. And the minute you begin trying to 'force' someone to apologise it becomes meaningless anyway.

Posted by Graham Smyth | 03.11.09, 12:15 GMT

Sean - did you type that with a straight face? Tell me you didn't...

Posted by BenjiBear | 03.11.09, 12:11 GMT

Instead of doing something constructive in government, all the DUP is concerned with is browbeating Libya over IRA arms. Typical of the unionist side.. a bunch of do nothings. Tomorrow they'll give millions more to the loyalists. The DUP has plenty in common with the BNP.. . any unionist vote is a waste..

Posted by charles u. farley | 03.11.09, 12:01 GMT

There was a war, it's over, now let's rebuild together instead of slagging off the other side over and over again. Both comments below are embarrassing and do nothing to build relations. There is nothing constructive and nothing positive.

Posted by --thenewmule-- | 03.11.09, 11:20 GMT

N.I is an unsustainable entity, so no amount of BEGGING (now that britain is EXHAUSTED) will change that fact............. where next ?

I'm northern irish and hungry placards - please help....... on the streets of delhi........... ITS EMBARASSING !!

Posted by seymour cashman | 03.11.09, 09:18 GMT

Once again we have to listen to the loyalist side of things in the north. Who is going to compensate the native people of Ulster who were and still are the victims of state run and financed loyalist terror groups. The rest of the world knows what happened during the so called troubles, a down trodden people had enough and thought back, its unfortunate that the loyalist/unionist politicians took so long to realise the errors of their ways and decided that it was ok to sit down and talk to there neighbours. Now we have our soldiers of destiny in stormont onwards to the Reunification of our country.

Posted by sean from co down Ireland | 03.11.09, 05:59 GMT