|
From the early years of the troubles mainly in the Greater Belfast area
more specifically Woodvale, Shankill and East Belfast Protestants were
more and more under the threat of violent Irish republicans and their
terror gangs, and found it necessary to start local defence associations
it was not until early 1971 that these associations were amalgamated
into what was to become the Ulster Defence Association.
UDA's first leader was Charles Smith. Members of the UDA have, since
1973, used the cover name of Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) to claim the
responsibility for the killing of Catholics. Despite the well-known link
between the two groups the UDA was only proscribed (declared illegal) on
10 August 1992. The UDA attracted many thousands of members (at its peak
the estimated membership was 50,000) and very quickly became a
formidable force particularly in Belfast. The UDA had a policy of
excluding Members of Parliament (MPs) and clergymen from its membership
and sought to retain its working-class credentials. During the protests
against the imposition of direct rule from Westminster the UDA
campaigned with Ulster Vanguard and the Loyalist Association of Workers
(LAW). The UDA arranged massive displays of strength on the streets of
Belfast during the summer of 1972, when thousands of 'uniformed' members
marched through the city centre. One of the biggest 'stand-offs' between
the UDA and the British Army at this time took place on 3 July 1972 in
Belfast, when 8,000 UDA members confronted 250 troops. However, it was
during the May 1974 Ulster Workers' Council strike that the UDA carried
out its biggest operation.
In January 1987 the UDA published the document "common sense" plans for
a future political settlement.The UDA opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement
but was not in favour of a national strike over the issue. In January
1987 the UDA published the document "common sense" plans for a future
political settlement.
The document did receive favourable responses from the British
government, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), and the Social Democratic
and Labour Party (SDLP). In December 1987 John McMichael, then deputy
leader of the UDA, was killed in a bomb attack carried out by the Irish
Republican Army (IRA). However, it was alleged that fellow members of
the UDA had set up McMichael. Early in 1988 Andy Tyrie was removed as
leader of the UDA and control passed to an 'inner council' of six
members. During 1988 large quantities of arms were secured by the UDA
some of which came from South Africa. In October 1988 both the UDA and
Current Goals: The UDA has grown to be the largest Loyalist terrorist
group in Northern Ireland. Officially, the group has observed a
cease-fire since January 1998, but some observers believe that the UDA
remains active through cover names. It is possible that the suspected
cover names are actually splinter groups that have grown disaffected
with the peace process and independently founded new groups in order to
continue their terrorist activities. This possibility notwithstanding,
the British government declared on October 12, 2001 that the UDA had
broken its cease-fire de facto. This declaration lends credence to the
theories that two newer splinter groups, the Orange Volunteers and Red
Hand Defenders, are actually cover names used by the Ulster Defense
Association. The Ulster Defence Association is also closely connected to
the Ulster Freedom Fighters. From the 1970s until the early 1990s the
UDA was able to use the Ulster Freedom Fighters as a covert terrorist
organization. Through this deception, the Ulster Defense Association was
able to maintain a legal status in Northern Ireland until 1992. However,
the two groups have effectively merged into one group.
|
