Out of the shadow
Wednesday October 24 2001
The Good Friday Agreement sought to create a context of trust which would move loyalists and republicans out of history's timelock but failure to decommission stood in the way. And with the whole agreement reduced to a single issue it wasn't long before distrust and sectarianism took hold. Now the IRA has crossed the Rubicon and, in doing so, has created the conditions that should once again free up the political process.
The word historic has been much abused of late. Commentators grasping to come to terms with the complexities of the facts of life in Northern Ireland have used it to describe everything from a handshake to a march through weedy fields.
But the unprecedented disposal of weapons by the republican movement is truly momentous and opens the way to meaningful politics in the North for the first time.
If yesterday's announcement represents a triumph for democracy it also will be recorded as an enormous achievement for our political leaders. The Taoiseach Mr Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair may one day look back on this development as their finest hour.
For David Trimble it is a personal triumph and a vindication of his determined stance. Now he must show generosity and some real enthusiasm for the new development.
We have heard much from the rejectionists, as usual they have been strong on rhetoric and weak on practice.
Those who support the Good Friday Agreement must now prove themselves by wholeheartedly putting their energies into making it work. That means accepting Sinn Fein and working across the political divide.
The IRA has taken one step, but another crucial one remains. As John Hume has put it, the decommissioning of mindsets may be even more critical.
The IRA can empty its bunkers, and the British army reduce watchtowers to rubble, but when little girls cannot go to school without being terrorised, much remains to be done.
The establishment of a police force recognised by both communities will be central to future development.
There are too many still in the margins, and it is to be regretted that loyalist paramilitaries have refused to put their arms beyond use. However they too should be given a chance to come in from the cold.
Much will be said and written in coming days about the impact of yesterday's declaration. For the first time in more than 80 years the shadow of the gunman is receding and the politicians can take central stage. If the war truly is over, or nearly over, then all who want it so must seize the opportunity.
Seamus Mallon said that the Good Friday Agreement was Sunningdale for slow learners. Few could have have predicted how slow.
The clock is still ticking. We have had the euphoria of the signing and the disappointment of suspension but now there are no excuses. For those who do not hang together will surely hang apart. There is one year left to go before elections in the North. One year to prove that politics finally works.
- EDITORIAL
