Church of Ireland Leaders Welcome IRA Decommissioning

Leaders from the Church of Ireland have expressed their joy at the IRA’s announcement Monday that it had destroyed its weapons.
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“Any destruction of terrorist weapons must be warmly welcomed,” said the Most Rev Dr Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh, in a statement. He said the move by the IRA to decommission represented a “massive step”.

“For all of us it can become a major step towards a peaceful and just society if it heralds the end of all criminality and violence in future. Ultimately, all paramilitary weapons must be placed beyond use,” said Rev Eames.

He warned of distrust among politicians and the public, however: “So many people who have been disappointed in the past will take a great deal of convincing and we must understand their thinking.

“However, I urge that all politicians reflect carefully on what has been stated today and measure their response most carefully,” said Rev. Eames.

The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev. Dr John Neill also issued a statement in which he urged trust.

He said yesterday’s news “hopefully marks a step forward towards peace-building on this island.”

|QUOTE|Rev. Neill continued: “Now there must be established a culture that both rejects violence and also refuses to glorify it in any manner.

This is a pre-requisite for the healing of bitter memories. Such healing lays the foundation for the confidence and trust without which there cannot be lasting peace.”

A joint statement was also released by bishops from the Church of Ireland, Rev. Harold Hood, and Fr Alec Reid, who worked personally as a mediator between the IRA and the Northern Ireland and UK government.

The bishops’ statement read: “We hope that all who exercise leadership will continue to affirm the political process as the means to resolve any remaining issues in the search for peace. We call on all other paramilitary groups to affirm their commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means.”

Tony Blair also welcomed the announcement by the IRA as an “important step” on the road to permanent peace in Northern Ireland.