Statement by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (Saturday)

• Country/entity

  Ireland
  United Kingdom
  Northern Ireland
  
• Region

  Europe and Eurasia
  Europe and Eurasia
  Europe and Eurasia
  
• Agreement name

  Statement by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (Saturday)
• Date

  6 May 2000
• Agreement status

  Unilateral document
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Northern Ireland Conflict (1968 - 1998) )
• Stage

  Implementation/renegotiation
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  Northern Ireland peace process
• Parties

  P. O'Neill, Irish Republican Publicity Bureau, Dublin [Irish Republican Army (IRA)]
• Third parties

  -
• Description

  This was one of a number of agreements signed between the 5th and 6th of May 2000 which were part of an agreed 'choreography' between the British and Irish governments and the Northern Irish parties in the talks process and the IRA, relating to a log-jam in the talks process relating to decommissioning. This Statement by the leadership of the IRA emphasising their commitment to a just and lasting peace. The IRA initiate a peocess to completely and verifiably put IRA arms beyond use, and resume contact with the IICD to resolve the issue of arms.

• Agreement document

  UK_IE_000506_Statement by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) (Saturday).pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

Statement by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), issued (at midday) Saturday 6 May 2000

"The leadership of the IRA is committed to a just and lasting peace.

We have sustained that commitment despite the abuse of the peace process by those who persist with the aim of defeating the IRA and Irish republicans.

Republicans believe that the British government claim to a part of Ireland, its denial of national self-determination to the people of the island of Ireland, the partition of our country and the maintenance of social and economic inequality in the Six Counties are the root causes of conflict.

The maintenance of our cessation is our contribution to the peace process and to the creation of a future in which the causes of conflict are resolved by peaceful means.

For our part, the IRA leadership is committed to resolving the issue of arms.

The political responsibility for advancing the current situation rests with the two governments, especially the British government, and the leadership of the political parties.

The full implementation, on a progressive and irreversible basis by the two governments, especially the British government, of what they have agreed will provide a political context, in an enduring political process, with the potential to remove the causes of conflict, and in which Irish republicans and unionists can, as equals, pursue our respective political objectives peacefully.

In that context the IRA leadership will initiate a process that will completely and verifiably put IRA arms beyond use.

We will do it in such a way as to avoid risk to the public and misappropriation by others and ensure maximum public confidence.

We will resume contact with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and enter into further discussions with the commission on the basis of the IRA leadership's commitment to resolving the issue of arms.

We look to the two governments and especially the British government to fulfil their commitments under the Good Friday agreement and the joint statement.

To facilitate the speedy and full implementation of the Good Friday agreement and the government's measures, our arms are silent and secure.

There is no threat to the peace process from the IRA.

In this context, the IRA leadership has agreed to put in place within weeks a confidence-building measure to confirm that our weapons remain secure.

The contents of a number of our arms dumps will be inspected by agreed third parties who will report that they have done so to the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

The dumps will be re-inspected regularly to ensure that the weapons have remained silent."

P. O'Neill, Irish Republican Publicity Bureau, Dublin