Combined Loyalist Military Command facts for kids

The Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) was an important group for loyalist paramilitary organizations in Northern Ireland. It was formed in the early 1990s. The CLMC aimed to make sure that groups like the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), and the Red Hand Commando (RHC) worked together.

The group included senior members from these paramilitary groups. It also had representatives from loyalist political parties. These parties were the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) and the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). The UDP represented the UDA, and the PUP represented the UVF and RHC.

Working Towards Peace: Early Ceasefires

The CLMC first tried a ceasefire in 1991. They stopped all actions from April 29 to July 4 that year. There was only one break in this 10-week ceasefire. This was when the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) killed Eddie Fullerton. He was a Sinn Féin Councillor in Buncrana, County Donegal. The UDA said the ceasefire only applied within Northern Ireland. This ceasefire showed that the CLMC was open to ending its violent campaign. After this, talks began with Robin Eames, who was the head of the Church of Ireland.

The only violent action claimed by the CLMC was a rocket attack. This happened on Crumlin Road Prison on December 13, 1991. It was in response to an IRA bomb that killed two loyalist prisoners there. A rocket was fired at the prison canteen. However, it hit a window and did not explode.

A Big Step: The 1994 Ceasefire

After much discussion, the CLMC announced a ceasefire on October 13, 1994. This brought loyalist groups fully into the peace process. The ceasefire was announced at a press conference. This took place at Fernhill House in the Shankill area.

Gusty Spence, a former UVF leader and PUP politician, read the ceasefire statement. It included an apology for the innocent people who were hurt or killed. He said, "In all sincerity, we offer to the loved ones of all innocent victims over the past twenty-five years, abject and true remorse. No words of ours will compensate for the intolerable suffering they have undergone during the conflict."

Challenges to the Ceasefire

Keeping the ceasefire was difficult. In 1996, the CLMC had to distance itself from a murder. The UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade killed a Catholic taxi driver named Michael McGoldrick.

The CLMC faced more challenges that year. Television showed loyalists at Drumcree Church being led against security forces. This was by Billy Wright, who led the Mid-Ulster UVF. After his group killed a Catholic taxi driver without permission, Wright was removed from his position by the UVF leadership. He was later expelled from the UVF. Wright and some followers then formed the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). This new group continued its actions without a ceasefire.

Supporting the Peace Agreement

Even though the CLMC no longer had full control, it continued its work. It supported the signing of the Belfast Agreement. However, after this, the CLMC became less important. The UVF and UDA had disagreements, and their commitment to the Agreement changed. The CLMC lost much of its overall control over loyalist groups. While it still existed in theory, it was not as powerful as before.

A new group, the Loyalist Commission (LC), took over some of the political work. This group included political representatives from the UDA and the PUP. The LC played a key role in keeping the peace. For example, in March 2009, they managed to prevent loyalist groups from reacting to attacks by other groups. Even the hard-line LVF refused to retaliate.

Many people believe the CLMC and LC were crucial to the Northern Ireland peace process. They helped prevent a return to violence. Some even argue they unofficially brought the LVF closer to the peace process.

A New Push for Peace

On March 12, 2009, a community group called Combined Loyalists for Peace appeared. They stated that loyalist communities had a peace strategy and would stick to it. Jackie McDonald, a UDA leader, confirmed this. He said loyalists would not be provoked into violence. That same day, Frankie Gallagher, a loyalist politician, publicly met with Belfast mayor Tom Hartley from Sinn Féin. This showed that different levels of loyalism—community, military, and political—were united in supporting peace.

Weeks after these events, the groups that formed the CLMC made separate announcements. They said their weapons had been put out of use. Dawn Purvis, leader of the PUP, announced this for the UVF and RHC. Frankie Gallagher stated that the UDA/UFF's process was underway. This was later confirmed by General de Chastelain, who oversaw the decommissioning of weapons.

The CLMC aimed to ensure that loyalist groups matched any peace efforts by Irish republicans. Nearly 20 years after it was formed, and even though it no longer truly existed, the CLMC successfully achieved its goals of peace.