Northern Secretary Peter Hain has stated there is no "quick fix" solution to loyalist paramilitary violence after he came under pressure from SDLP leader Mark Durkan to declare the UVF ceasefire over.
Mr Durkan told Mr Hain when he met him at Stormont yesterday that his failure to "specify" the UVF - rule that its cessation was no longer intact - was allowing the paramilitary organisation literally "get away with murder".
Since July 1st the UVF allegedly murdered four people in the UVF/LVF feud, engaged in numerous other attacks and orchestrated rioting in north Belfast this week.
Mr Durkan made his comments on a day when the four main church leaders also met Mr Hain at Stormont to also press for action to end sectarian attacks and "the restoration of law and order on our streets".
Yesterday Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness also appeared to support speculation that the IRA is currently in the process of decommissioning in the company of Gen de Chastelain's decommissioning body and a Protestant and Catholic cleric.
Mr Durkan said he asked Mr Hain was his failure to specify the UVF showing "favour" to the paramilitary organisation or "fear" of the UVF. "It is not good enough for the Secretary of State to shrug his shoulders and wring his hands on the UVF," he said.
"We argued that by not specifying the UVF the secretary of state was damaging his own credibility and undermining the morale of decent people. How can the NIO expect people to stand up to the UVF if he does not?"
Mr Hain said his concern was to stop the violence and he would not be rushed into precipitate action. "My concern is to stop the murder and the crime . . . you do not necessarily do that by quick procedural fixes."
He said specifying the UVF was an option which he was considering but his priority was to work with the police and British army "to stop the violence and the murder and the mayhem".
Meanwhile, against speculation of imminent IRA decommissioning Sinn Féin's chief negotiator Mr McGuinness said yesterday that the coming weeks "will be interesting". He believed IRA disarmament would happen as pledged, and Gen de Chastelain should be left to get on with his work. He also called on DUP leader Ian Paisley to deal directly with the UVF, UDA and LVF to try to persuade them to end their campaign of violence.
The four main church leaders told Mr Hain that the "present level of violence on our streets is totally unacceptable". The Catholic and Church of Ireland Primates, Archbishops Seán Brady and Robin Eames, Presbyterian Moderator the Rev Harry Uprichard and Methodist President the Rev Desmond Bain said the spate of sectarian attacks throughout the summer were immoral and wrong.
"Attacks from any source on churches, schools, halls, homes, the elderly and the young cannot be justified, excused or accepted. Apart from their criminality such actions are immoral. At this tense time we appeal to everyone who has influence in this community to join with us in this condemnation, to reach out to those of different communities and to refrain from any word or action which will increase the fears so many are feeling," they said.
