It is with a political crisis and bouts of violence that Northern Ireland marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreements as of this Monday. US President Joe Biden, whose country helped negotiate the peace that ended three decades of Troubles, is among the leaders who will arrive in Belfast this Tuesday to mark the date, as is British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. But the atmosphere is not party.
Police officers were attacked with Molotov cocktails in Londonderry during an unannounced Republican parade (nearly a hundred were planned) to mark the Easter Rising of 1916, one of many to take place against British sovereignty. The terrorist alert level was severe, fearing acts of violence on the eve of Biden’s visit.
“While it is time to reflect on the solid progress we have made together, we must also commit to redouble our efforts in the commitments we made in 1998 and in the agreements that have followed.” Sunak said in a statement. “As we look ahead, we will celebrate those who made tough decisions, accepted compromises and showed leadership.”
The Good Friday Accords were signed on April 10, 1998 by British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern (among others), after negotiating with the support of then US President Bill Clinton. They ended the sectarian conflicts between the Protestant Unionists and the Catholic Republicans, in which more than 3,500 people were killed.
“A generation later, the situation in Northern Ireland is far from perfect. Very little progress has been made in real integration between the two communities. Segregated neighborhoods still exist and economic inequality persists. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit – which Northern Ireland voted against – has led to political paralysis and has left the country without a government for more than a year. But against all odds, peace and democracy did not lose control.”wrote Clinton in the The Washington Post.
More Catholics
On the 25th anniversary of the peace accords, Catholics now form a majority in Northern Ireland for the first time. According to data from the 2021 Census, 45.7% of the population identifies as Catholic or is Catholic-educated, while 43.5% is Protestant. A hundred years ago, when the island of Ireland was divided up, it was two-thirds Protestant and one-third Catholic. The peace agreements provide for the possibility of a referendum on the reunification of Ireland.
But religion does not automatically mean identification with Unionists (those who favor continued ties with the rest of the UK) or Republicans (those who favor Irish reunification). The last election, almost a year ago, was won first by the Sinn Féin Republicans, while the DUP unionists came second. But the Alliance Party, which does not identify with either party, had 4.5% more votes than in 2017 and became the third most voted party, with 17 representatives in the regional assembly.
According to the Good Friday Accords, power in the region should be shared between trade unionists and Republicans. But the DUP is refusing to take part in the executive because of the Northern Ireland Protocol created as a result of Brexit. The aim was to avoid creating another physical border between the two Irelands, but it created barriers between the region and the rest of the UK. Despite London having already renegotiated the protocol with Brussels, creating a green way for some products to evade controls, the unionists stand by their rejection. This means that the region has been without a government for more than a year.
“While power-sharing has at times led to frustration and even stalemate, it has given both sides a chance to voice their concerns and work towards consensus. Even now, with Stormont, the legislature, untapped, the question is ‘when’. not “if” the government starts functioning again. Even the most imperfect democracy is better than a return to violence.”, Clinton indicated in the op-ed. The former president and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, (who holds a position at Queen’s University, Belfast) attend several anniversary events.
Biden is not arriving in Belfast empty-handed, with the White House spokeswoman signaling last week that the president not only “marks tremendous progress” since the signing of the peace accords, but will also “underline the US’s willingness to support Northern Ireland’s enormous economic potential”. for the benefit of all communities.” Despite arriving on Tuesday night, Biden will only take part in one public event, Wednesday: he will deliver a speech on the University of Ulster campus in Belfast.
Irish roots
He then travels to the counties of Louth and Mayo, in the Republic of Ireland, where his ancestors hail from, with plans to make stops in Dundalk and Carlingford. He will then head to Dublin, where he is expected to address both houses of parliament – he will be the fourth US president to do so, after John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Meetings are also scheduled with both President Michael Higgins and Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar.
There are rumors that when he returns to Washington, he could start thinking about officially announcing his candidacy for a second term. The 80-year-old Biden has already made it clear that he is a candidate in 2024, but has not yet made an official announcement.
Source: DN
