Loyalist Ceasefire Announced
From the collection of
How We Got Here
- Belfast
- 1998-04-09
Loyalist Ceasefire Announced (UTV News)
Loyalist paramilitary groups reciprocate the IRA commitment.
A UTV Live report on the announcement of a ceasefire by loyalist terror groups. The report begins with grainy footage of UVF members shooting into the air ahead of their announcement the night before. The piece also includes archive footage from the year before of an anonymous voice from within loyalism stating that the way to peace was for the IRA to lay down its arms which would then in turn be met with a reciprocal end to violence from loyalism, so that dialogue and discussion could take place. The report makes clear that the anonymous voice is now known to be David Ervine of the PUP, who represented the views of the UVF.
The report shows the announcement of the ceasefire by Gusty Spence, a former UVF commander who was now in the PUP, who states that the ceasefire would last as long as the IRA one did. While the report didn't make it clear, this ceasefire was from all loyalist paramilitary organisations under the umbrella of the Combined Loyalist Military Command and it now meant that most of the terror groups within Northern Ireland were on ceasefire at the same time.
Starting in 1993, UTV Live took over as Ulster Television's local news series, running a flagship programme each evening, with other bulletins throughout the day. In the 1990s it captured the unfolding story of the push towards a peace settlement in Northern Ireland, through all its twist and turns, which ended with the historic Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
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Northern Ireland: The Road to Peace
The historic events which led to a political agreement to end almost 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland during the time known as 'The Troubles'.
In 1993, exploratory talks about peace gave hope that decades of civil strife and violence in Northern Ireland could be brought to an end. At Christmas that year, the Downing Street Declaration by John Major and the Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds paved the way for a peace process that would build in momentum over the next five years.
The path forwards was often rocky and turbulent, and punctuated by further violence and unrest. However, the major players from all sides of the divide eventually struck an historic deal in what was known as the Good Friday Agreement.
This collection of news reports and interviews between 1993 and 1998 records the slow but steady path towards a better future after a generation of conflict.
26 videos in this collection
1
How We Got Here
2
Downing Street Declaration
3
US Visa Given to Gerry Adams
4
Sinn Féin Conference (Ard Fheis)
5
IRA Cessation of Military Operations
6
Loyalist Response to IRA Ceasefire
7
Loyalist Ceasefire Announced
8
USA Special Adviser Appointed
9
Framework Documents Published
10
Reaction to the Framework Documents
11
Mayhew Meeting with Adams
12
Stand-Off at Drumcree
13
March Takes Place on Garvaghy Road
14
IRA 'Haven't Gone Away'
15
David Trimble Elected Leader of UUP
16
President Clinton and John Major at Downing Street
17
President Clinton's Visit to Belfast
18
Mitchell Report on Decommissioning
19
London Docklands Bomb and End of IRA Ceasefire
20
British-Irish Communique
21
Proximity Talks Between Parties
22
Northern Ireland Forum Election Results
23
Irish Presidential Visit to London
24
Preparation for Talks at Stormont
25
Talks at Stormont Begin
26