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UDA pulls out of meeting with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness at eleventh hour
Thursday, 17 December 2009
enlargeLoyalists yesterday pulled out of talks with Martin McGuinness just hours after this newspaper publicly revealed their plan to meet.
The Deputy First Minister had been expecting a four-man delegation at his Stormont office yesterday afternoon, including the paramilitary ‘brigadier’ Jackie McDonald.
Other senior UDA figures on that organisation’s so-called ‘inner council’ were to join him at the talks, as loyalists arrived back in Belfast after two days of meetings in Brussels.
The McGuinness meeting was to be part of a sequence of background discussions in which loyalists have met the decommissioning general John de Chastelain and First Minister Peter Robinson in recent days.
But at the last minute the UDA took cold feet, apparently angry that the Belfast Telegraph had revealed the talks plan.
One source, however, offered another explanation — a falling out over “egos” at the top of the loyalist group.
Sources have confirmed the Stormont meeting was “arranged”, Mr McGuinness had been expecting to see “four senior people” — meaning senior UDA leaders, but as that historic first meeting approached his office was told: “We want to do a meeting, but we don’t want to do it now.”
Journalists and photographers unaware that the talks had been cancelled waited outside Stormont Castle yesterday afternoon.
This is an embarrassment for UDA leaders and a pullout that points to the personality clashes at the very top of the paramilitary organisation — an organisation of many chiefs.
But none of the group’s other leaders has McDonald’s public profile.
Matt Kincaid, John Bunting, Billy McFarland and a fourth man from east Belfast are the UDA’s other senior leaders — some of whom were expected at yesterday’s talks.
The paramilitary organisation is facing a final decommissioning deadline of February, but has concerns about the dissident republican threat and the future of the political institutions at Stormont.
They also want to talk about loyalist communities and the future for UDA members when that organisation finally steps off Ulster’s “war” stage.
Martin McGuinness had issues to raise with them, including their continuing activities and the work that has yet to be completed with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
Last night one loyalist, trying to put a better face on yesterday’s events, said he was “very confident” a meeting with the Deputy First Minister will take place.
Analysis
Loyalists just left looking foolish
By Brian Rowan
There are many in the UDA who are not comfortable in the bright lights of the peace process.
And there are some in that organisation, according to the latest report of the IMC, still involved in drugs, robbery and extortion.
The UDA is often last in the peace process — and certainly the last of the mainstream organisations still to complete decommissioning.
A meeting with Martin McGuinness probably means more to the loyalist organisation than it does to the man so identified with the IRA’s war and peace.
The UDA craves credibility in the peace process, but it makes itself look foolish when it pulls out of a meeting at this high level.
Is it really because this newspaper revealed the planned talks, or is there another reason? Journalists have revealed many important moments in this process — and it has survived. A report, a headline should not force loyalists into a retreat.
Either they want to meet Martin McGuinness or they don’t.
There is a jealousy thing and that “ego” thing that is part of the UDA ‘inner council’. Jackie McDonald is often portrayed as the UDA chief, but he is just one of many chiefs. Most of the others are still hiding, not comfortable in that public place called the peace process.
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I would remind all those who scorn the UDA to remember that it is not the UDA or Loyalists in general who are bringing guns onto the streets!
BT reporters like Rowan seem more interested in blowing their inflated ego's rather than taking responsible action. I still remember his claims of a split between Londonderry and Belfast last sumer when there was no split! Get a Grip!!!
Posted by Oracle | 05.01.10, 10:22 GMT
Why would I have anything to be afraid of Edward?
It was good news that such a meeting was and probably will take place. For the Belfast Telegraph to pose the question whether or not their unsubtle reporting of the cancelled event may have been their fault is as Billy stated.
There are plenty of issues that still need to be resolved and put to bed in Northern Ireland. Some of these issues are extremely difficult to resolve and probably should not appear in the public domain in the first instance.
Let's remember there was no prior announcement of Peter Robinson meeting the same representatives recently.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 18.12.09, 11:30 GMT
Why are these people not arrested and jailed for what they are,murdering gangsters!
Posted by ciaran | 17.12.09, 21:58 GMT
I can't believe you're all blaming the BT for the UDA's getting cold feet!!
What does the UDA have to hide? Are they too cool for school to be seen speaking with someone from the other community? Don't they realise how pathetic this makes them look, not only in the eyes of McG's constituents, but in the eyes of every right-thinking person everywhere? Then again, who ever thought the UDA gave a damn what anyone ever thought of them? Wasters all.
Posted by Mr. P | 17.12.09, 20:13 GMT
loyalism is a defunct ideology that has nothing to offer anybody, perhaps they have realised this and thought that these talks would have only highlighted that fact.
Posted by well done | 17.12.09, 17:48 GMT
Billy & Ulysses32,
The Belfast Telegraph did exactly what it is supposed to do, it reported on a news item. It would have been a "good news" item if it were not for the fact that you, and some of the UDA, for some reason do not like to be in the spotlight. What is it that you are afraid off?
Hopefully Mr. McGuinness will retain an open mind on the matter.
Posted by Edward | 17.12.09, 16:45 GMT
Does no one else find the irony in McGuinness wanting to discuss decomissioning with the UDA?
Posted by YerMa | 17.12.09, 16:11 GMT
Mr McGuinness is indeed a brave man to meet these gangsters. Remember they are still an illegal organisation and have hundreds of guns and bombs at their disposal. I say meet them when they have disarmed and have given up their drug dealing activities.
Posted by Trevor | 17.12.09, 16:08 GMT
The UDA (and their friends in the UVF) are sectarian thugs who fight for no ideal save murderous medieval-like bigotry. Their vile ideology is still in full flight, being that their members were responsible for the horrific murder of Kevin McDaid in Coleraine this past summer and the intimidation of his family members, not to mention their well-known links to drug dealing and gangland activity.
Blaming the newspapers for their refusal to meet McGuinness is, quite frankly, an all too easy cop-out.
Posted by Euskal Herria | 17.12.09, 16:04 GMT
Agreed Billy. Where is the pride in possibly wreking a meeting that could have only done some good, BT?
Maybe when it does eventually happen and you get wind of it, you could possibly allow such a temperamental meeting to happen unannounced and then report on it later.
Incidentally, I would tell you where I have hidden my kids' christmas presents but you would probably announce that with loud trumpets and ruin the festivities.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 17.12.09, 14:07 GMT
having worked closely with these groups over this past year there is a want to progress and i feel that the Belfast Telegraph highlihting this meeting in advance does not do anything to support the progress that is being taken. it would have been better to hold off and report on it afterwards when those attending the meeting had the chance on both sides to responsd to any progress made at it.
Posted by youthworker | 17.12.09, 13:40 GMT
You sound like you are proud you wrecked the meeting? Why did you feel the need to have to do that??? You should be ashamed!!
Posted by Billy | 17.12.09, 13:19 GMT
So if the BT hadn't blew the whistle this probably would have happened?
Why couldn't you just show some discretion?
Posted by BenjiBear | 17.12.09, 11:04 GMT
Did anyone really believe this was ever going to happen . they probably want paid to go to this !!!!!
Posted by community worker | 17.12.09, 11:02 GMT
Loyalists back out of critical step of the peace process.
Stop the presses!!!!
Posted by Fergal MacShane | 17.12.09, 03:40 GMT
Round of applause please for the Belfast Telegraph. Well done. Messed up a what was shaping up to be a very positive development in the peace process. Good going. What is the next? Could wreck peace efforts in the Middle East - that'd be easy.
Posted by Lionel Woods | 17.12.09, 03:32 GMT