Reid warns 'no half-way house' for paramilitaries

The Secretary of State Dr John Reid has warned paramilitaries in Northern Ireland there can be no illusion of a “half-way house” between mass violence and politics.

Dr Reid’s comments came after a week of serious rioting in east and south Belfast, among the worst sectarian street violence seen in many years.

The police have said they believed the disturbances were orchestrated by both republican and loyalist paramilitary groups.

Speaking at an opening ceremony of a new housing scheme on the Shankill Road today Dr Reid said politics, and not violence, was the way forward.

“If that belief takes hold then it will undermine completely the confidence in this peace process. So we must be absolutely certain and understand that we have a journey away from violence towards exclusively democratic means.”

Meanwhile speaking at the opening of a major conference on policing being hosted by the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Chairman, Professor Desmond Rea has also criticised the almost nightly rioting in east and south Belfast.

“The destruction, sectarianism and hooliganism that has tarnished our streets over the last week has been difficult to comprehend. Mindless violence of this nature tears the soul out of the community and builds barriers of mistrust and hatred.

“Building walls is easy, building trust must be worked at. The police cannot continue to be used as a human buffer between rival factions,” he added.

(AMcE)