Signs of Hope In the North

THE summer doldrums have passed in Northern Ireland and a fresh burst of political activity has greeted the onset of autumn. In many ways it feels like déjà vu. 

David Trimble has survived yet another attempt to unseat him as Ulster Unionist Party leader, the Irish and British governments have met and decided on a road map for the way forward, and Sinn Fein and the other political parties have been in deep discussions with the governments and each other.

We saw the same activity and same high hopes being raised this spring when it seemed a huge step forward was about to take place. Then the IRA were poised for a major act of decommissioning, and the British government were set to restore the power sharing Assembly by naming a date for elections.

That, of course, all came crashing down, but it is a sign of the goodwill and industry which has become a feature of the Irish peace process, that the parties are now seeking to rebuild that scenario and create the much needed breakthrough.

Early signs are positive. This summer was the least contentious in Northern Ireland since The Troubles started. 

For the first time in living memory not a single Catholic was killed during the height of the Unionist marching season. Flashpoints in North Belfast and elsewhere were relatively peaceful, while Hugh Orde, the chief constable of the new police force the PSNI, did a superb job tamping down the Loyalist paramilitaries who usually use the parade season as an occasion to attack “taigs.”

Over the weekend Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern spoke of the urgent need to announce an election date before talks with his British counterpart, Tony Blair. It is hardly likely he would have wasted his breath on such a statement unless he was sure there was a very good chance of the desired outcome.

But as we have learned all too often, there is many a slip between the cup and the lip when it comes to progress in Northern Ireland. However, the signs seem very positive. There seems little question that the IRA is ready to make a major act of decommissioning in return for guarantees, including a set date for elections.

The easy victory of Trimble over hostile forces within his party has given him an extra boost in his attempts to drag Unionism into the 21st century, despite the best efforts of the backwoodsmen to prevent him. It is imperative that he too grasps this opportunity and agrees to return to a power-sharing executive once the IRA action is completed.