DATE=2/7/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=NORTHERN IRELAND - SUSPENSION
NUMBER=5-45394
BYLINE=ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///// ED'S: THE FIRST OF TWO REPORTS. THE SECOND
DISCUSSES INCENTIVES THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY HAS TO
DISARM. /////
INTRO: The British government has introduced
legislation to suspend the government structures in
Northern Ireland. In this report, former London
Correspondent Andre de Nesnera looks at what
suspension may mean for the British province's
volatile political situation.
TEXT: Nine-weeks after a bit of self-rule was given
to Northern Ireland, the British government has
introduced legislation suspending governing
institutions in the British province. Parliament's
lower house - the House of Commons - is expected to
debate the emergency legislation during the next few
days - and at the end of the week, Northern Ireland
could be once again ruled directly from London.
Noel Doran is deputy-editor of Belfast's "Irish News"
- a newspaper reflecting the views of the Nationalist
community which favors union with Ireland. He says
suspending Northern Ireland's government - known as
"the Executive" - would not be disastrous.
// DORAN ACT //
But it would be very disappointing in that from
November, we had our own structures, our own
executive made up of locally-elected politicians
from all the traditions. The crucial point is
that it was a power-sharing executive reflecting
the aspirations and the electoral support of
people on both sides of the community. And
although it was early days, I think everyone had
been very impressed with the way the respective
ministers had been going about their duties and
been having a real impact on the day-to-day
lives of ordinary people, taking decisions which
clearly worked to the benefit of the entire
community. And in a way which - for the first
time in a generation - was accountable to the
electorate here.
// END ACT //
This latest crisis in Northern Ireland was sparked by
an ongoing problem that has plagued politicians in the
British province for years. It is an unresolved issue
known as `decommissioning': in other words, getting
paramilitary groups - such as the Irish Republican
Army - to hand in their weapons.
About a week ago, an international commission headed
by retired Canadian General John de Chastelain
reported the I-R-A failed to begin handing in its
weapons. That prompted Northern Ireland's Chief
Executive - David Trimble - leader of the pro-British
Ulster Unionist Party - to threaten to resign as
Northern Ireland's Chief Executive. In order to
prevent that move, the British government was forced
to contemplate reintroducing direct rule - resulting
in the legislation before Parliament.
London School of Economics' Irish expert Brendan
O'Leary says Mr. Trimble's threat to resign is
understandable.
// O'LEARY ACT //
It remains the case that a political
understanding of some kind was reached between
the Ulster Unionists and (the I-R-A's political
wing) Sinn Fein in November which prompted David
Trimble to go into the (Northern Ireland's)
Executive ahead of any prior I-R-A
decommissioning. He plainly understood that
decommissioning would occur relatively quickly.
That has not happened - although the I-R-A has
appointed an interlocutor to talk with General
de Chastelain.
// END ACT //
The British and Irish governments are trying to find a
way to get some sort of commitment from the I-R-A to
begin the decommissioning process at a time when the
suspension of Northern Ireland's governing
institutions is a distinct possibility.
Historian Brendan O'Brien - an expert on the I-R-A and
its political wing Sinn Fein (and author of the book
"The Long War") - says suspension could prove to be
beneficial.
// O'BRIEN ACT //
The optimistic scenario is you could have
suspension for a limited period - an agreed
period - during which people tried to put the
pieces of the jigsaw together again, in order to
put confidence back. In other words -
confidence by the Unionists that the I-R-A will
deal seriously with the de Chastelain Commission
on the decommissioning of arms and confidence by
the I-R-A that the (Northern Ireland's)
institutions would not be threatened again. And
that therefore, they can satisfactorily go the
route of at least commitment on decommissioning
and without appearing, if you like, to have
walked into a trap.
// END ACT //
On the other hand, Mr. O'Brien says suspending
Northern Ireland's Executive could force the I-R-A to
become even more intransigent on the weapons issue.
That could force pro-British politicians to pull out
of Northern Ireland's governing institutions for good,
ending the British province's short-lived experience
with limited self-rule. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/RAE
07-Feb-2000 14:22 PM EDT (07-Feb-2000 1922 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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