Sir, - The spectre of Articles 2 and 3 looms out of the mire again, raises its fist and makes a tribal cry demanding reinstatement (Letters, February 15th). As Geraldine Kennedy pointed out on the same day, 95 per cent of the electorate was under the impression when they voted for the removal of these articles on May 22nd, 1998, that they were voting for a lasting peace on this island, involving the removal of the gun from Irish politics.
In the event, Sinn Fein/PIRA has not delivered a single weapon, and now are refusing to talk to the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning, so the electorate can feel justified in being let down.
Messrs Ahern and Mallon asked for clarification on decommissioning. But surely it is there in the opaque words used in the now withdrawn second de Chastelain report? Sinn Fein/PIRA's position was that they would "consider" decommissioning only if the British army withdraws, the RUC is disbanded and the position of Northern Ireland in the UK is reviewed. In contrast, the Good Friday Agreement required decommissioning by May 22nd, 2000 and enshrined the principle of consent as far as the border is concerned. So it appears that Sinn Fein/ PIRA is not in breach of the Agreement.
However, those who now ask for the re-instatement of Articles 2 and 3 can console themselves that this remains a core objective of Sinn Fein/PIRA who will probably mount a legal challenge to re-instate the articles in the near future, no matter that this is not what we voted for. - Yours, etc., Rob Bury,
The Reform Movement, Killiney, Co Dublin.