don't celebrate too soon
TRANSCRIPT
Fortnight Publications Ltd.
Don't celebrate too soonAuthor(s): Tony KennedySource: Fortnight, No. 460 (JULY/AUGUST 2008), pp. 10-11Published by: Fortnight Publications Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25704141 .
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Don't celebrate too soon
Tony Kennedy of Co-operation Ireland argues that the 10th anniversary of the Agreement is a time to confront the remaining challenges facing Northern Ireland society and North-South relations
^ ^uch has been said and
JLVJL written over the last couple of months to reflect upon the
significance of the Belfast Agreement now that we have reached its 10th
anniversary. There is no doubt that that
Agreement was a
significant
development in Northern Ireland
political history and will rightfully be recorded as such. But it is more
important now to confront the
remaining challenges facing community relations in Northern
Ireland and across the island as a whole.
A key first step is to acknowledge that
many challenges remain in terms of Northern Ireland politics, East-West
and North-South relations and that these need to be met with a clear agenda and rationale.
Co-operation Ireland shared in the
euphoria that surrounded the Belfast
Agreement in 1998. This was based
upon the huge hopes we all had for Northern Ireland and the potential for
peace, prosperity and improved relations between the two communities,
between north and south and east and
west. The ceasefires, decreased
unemployment, the improved image of
Belfast, as in the new Victoria Shopping Centre, are all testimony to the
achievements in relation to peace and
prosperity. The absence of violence and
the images of co-operation between
Northern Ireland's former First
Minister, Dr Ian Paisley, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness,
have done much to enhance the image of Northern Ireland abroad. The Northern Ireland economy is beginning to see the benefits of the Celtic Tiger and the Republic also continues to benefit from the peace process. No-one
wants to emphasise the problems that
still exist. However, for the future
generations on this island it is essential to emphasise that relations between the
two communities in Northern Ireland
and between north and south have a
long way to go. Bertie Ahern recently described the
prevalence of sectarianism in Northern
Ireland as an affront' to the fulfilment of a peaceful and democratic society there. The continued segregation and
the lack of trust and understanding
between the peoples on the island also
pose dangers to stability and harmony. A future free from violence, based on
tolerance, trust and a respect for
diversity cannot be assured in these
circumstances.
One of the most significant questions facing politicians and leaders both in Northern Ireland and the Republic is the kind of future society we wish to strive for in Northern Ireland. Is economic improvement the limit of our
ambitions for Northern Ireland? The Troubles left many socio-economic
problems and these need to be addressed. But undoing the impact of the conflict on community relations
must also be a priority. Any post conflict society like Northern Ireland must develop and implement strategies to overcome poor community relations,
continued segregation and remaining 'low-level' violence. Full-scale ethnic
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conflict may be avoided in the future. But a failure to improve community relations will leave peace in Northern Ireland under threat from recurring communal unrest particularly at
interface areas.
The extensive segregation of the two main communities in Northern
Ireland, which intensified over the course of the Troubles, has reinforced the causes of the conflict.
Will the various stakeholders be satisfied with increased political
and economic co-operation in the absence of mutual
understanding and friendship?
Recent surveys by Shirlow and
Murtagh demonstrate the high levels of
segregated use of both public and
private services and ̂ facilities in Northern Ireland. This is underlined by continual segregation in housing and education. Last years report by Deloitte on the financial cost of the Northern Ireland divide estimated this 'dual
society' is costing about ?1.5 billion. The increased number of peace-walls' across Northern Ireland - the latest
figures are 46 peace lines' and 11
gates' - and the persistence of tensions
at interface areas in Belfast demonstrate
the slow pace at which community relations are improving. Those working at interface areas know the challenges that exist there and that the coming summer months are likely to intensify. The voluntary and community sectors have in the past shouldered the
responsibility for cross-community and north-south activities aimed at
breaking down misunderstandings, fears and sectarianism. It is now
essential that governments recognise the more comprehensive role that they
must play. As with cross-community work in
Northern Ireland, North-South contacts over the years have generally been delivered by the voluntary and
community sectors. This work has concentrated on building relationships, mutual understanding and
contributing to reconciliation on the island. Now that both governments have started to work more effectively
together North-South co-operation is
beginning to flourish in the political, economic and business realms. Many
government departments and agencies, like many businesses, are at last
discovering that North-South practical co-operation can be of mutual benefit.
North-South contacts in the past were centred on reconciliation and
relationship-building across the island. This was based upon the recognition that the bad feelings that existed between the people north and south were central to the conflict in Northern Ireland. The peace process has begun to resolve this relationship. But the current state of community relations in Northern Ireland and in north-south
grassroots relationships obliges both
governments and all those involved to ensure that the framework for North South co-operation continues to
concentrate on fulfilling the goals of
reconciliation, mutual understanding and relationship-building at all levels.
Will the various stakeholders be satisfied with increased political and economic co-operation in the absence
of mutual understanding and
friendship? There is no doubt that co
operation for mutual benefit at these levels can improve relationships. But it cannot always impact on relationships at grassroots, community levels where
this is most needed. Contact for reconciliation has always been the most
pressing rationale for North-South co
operation and must remain so. Like
segregation and division within Northern Ireland, separation and division between the communities
across the island is also contrary to the social and economic well-being of the entire island. Failure to bridge the gap in
understanding and tolerance at a
grassroots level between people, north and south, will, in the long term, undermine the development of relations between the two states, even if relations
at a political level appear friendly and constructive.
There is much to be positive about -
the operation of the Northern Ireland
Assembly, the North-South Institutions, the development of good relations at
political level between Northern Ireland and the Republic and between Ireland and the United Kingdom. The realisation of peace in Northern Ireland is undoubtedly the most positive development there in decades. But we must caution against complacency
particularly with regards to community relations, sectarianism and interface
tensions in Northern Ireland. Over
concentration on mutual benefit of an
economic kind in developing the North-South agenda is also a problem for truly fulfilling reconciliation on the island. The legacy of any settlement in
Northern Ireland will ultimately be assessed for its impact on relations between the communities across the
island and not just those which exist at
political elite levels This is where the future challenge rests. The 10th
anniversary of the Agreement must not
just be about judging past achievements or failures, but rather about recognising and planning to meet this unrelenting challenge. | Tony Kennedy is CEO of Co-operation Ireland
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FORTNIGHT JULY/AUGUST 2008 I I
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