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NIWC decommissioning statement to Opening Plenary, October 1996

Writing Peace: David Trimble Collection

The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, in their detailed submission on decommissioning, emphasizes the necessity of integrating decommissioning within the broader political negotiations, advocating for a twin-track approach to peace. They argue that decommissioning should not be decoupled from political progress and must be voluntary, highlighting international precedents where political accommodation preceded effective disarmament. The Coalition references the UNIDIR conclusions and experiences from South Africa, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina to support their stance. They stress the importance of political inclusion and caution against the manipulation of the decommissioning debate to instill fear or create additional political hurdles. The Coalition also addresses the principle of consent, underscoring its significance in ensuring mutual safeguards for both Unionist and Nationalist communities. They criticize the notion that the Anglo-Irish political process to date was a plot to integrate Sinn Féin into the political system, instead asserting that it has consistently emphasized peaceful means and consent. The Coalition calls for the establishment of a Committee of Experts, including international representatives, to develop a framework for decommissioning, and they highlight the need to address issues such as legally held guns, the armed status of the RUC, and the potential for increased organized crime. They conclude by reiterating the importance of political leadership and the necessity of finding ways to bypass decommissioning as a stumbling block, drawing on the South African experience as a model for genuine negotiation and commitment to a shared future.

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032a
Lever Arch File 01
96 1995 - 1996
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McClay Library and Archives, Queen's University Belfast, digitized by the Quill Project at https://quillproject.net/resource_collections/384/.

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