A ceasefire watchdog ignored loyalist paramilitaries' shift away from violence amid glowing praise for republicans, it was claimed tonight.
Political advisers to the Ulster Defence Association hit out at the Independent Monitoring Commission's latest, underwhelming, assessment of their bid to abandon crime.
Even though the IMC accepted attempts were being made from within the outlawed organisation's leadership to end racketeering and terrorism, it said progress was patchy.
UDA men are still involved in racist and sectarian attacks, drug dealing, punishment beatings and shootings, the report published on Tuesday said.
By contrast, Sinn Fein continues to direct the republican movement down a purely political route, commissioners said.
Their findings provoked a critical response from the Ulster Political Research Group, which advises the UDA. They claimed work to ease tensions around a flashpoint Orange Order march in north Belfast were ignored.
But the UPRG vowed to do even more to achieve peace, and even offered to work with former associates in the breakaway South East Antrim faction.
A statement said: "The report did not go far enough in recognising the good work of its (UDA) members who had spent 12 months prior to the Whiterock Parade to get a peaceful and common-sense resolution, in conjunction with the North-West Parades Forum, just to use one interface as an example.
"We feel it is counter-productive to achieving a lasting and sustainable peace when the IMC elevates one community over the other with regards to their efforts in achieving non-violence."