Ireland's OWN: History

 

The Belfast Agreement — An Alternative* —by Liam O Comain Like the majority of the Irish people I firmly support the concept of a united Ireland and I believe that their is an alternative to the Belfast Agreement which will bring and end to the centuries old conflict and ensure a future of peace and prosperity. Before I refer to this alternative I would like to approach it via the following path... Historians often refer to the concept of  'the Irish problem' as if we Irish are responsible for the political mess that our island home experiences at present and for hundreds of years past. In fact the mess arises from the British military and administrative presence and therefore the truth is that it is 'a British problem'. This being the case then Britain must clean it up not by the creation and implementation of expedient concoctions but by a bold decision to break the connection between the two islands. If we have learned anything from the establishment of two political entities based upon the Anglo-Irish Treaty (an earlier expedient concoction) of the last century and the Belfast Agreement, which many hold to be a more sophisticated form of the former is, that in the words of Patrick Pearse: 'Ireland unfree shall never be at peace...'. Sadly religious sectarianism is a part of the 'British problem' for it was a handy device  to help continual British occupation by dividing the people along religious lines. This of course was helped by the fact that in the main the Protestant section of our people were from the Planters or their descendents. Initially they never felt a part as invading people and this sense was manipulated negatively by the British administration. Of course there were exceptions i.e., Wolfe Tone, Thomas Davis, and many others who gave their allegiance to the land of their birth and worked for the welfare of all its people. In fact so successful have the British been in using the old divide and conquer strategy in the past and at present that the core authors behind the Belfast Agreement have come to accept the British position that our problem is an Irish one. Thus the pleading by nationalist representatives hoping that that section of our people who support unionism will jump into their boat. But that will never happen while the consent principle as present defined alongside the British presence remains a reality. Both must be removed! The harnessing in this country and throughout the world of all those who favour Irish unity and self-determination especially as the British presence is contrary to the vision of the founders and the principles of the United Nations is the way forward. The purpose would be to exert pressurise upon Britain to announce its departure from the north within an agreed time-frame. The proposed alternative must be implemented under the auspices of the United Nations and guarantees should be given to those of the Protestant community that civil and religious liberty will be sacrosanct; that traditions which they hold dear and which have derived from their ancestors will be acknowledged under international guarantee and national law. But most important that under a new and radical form of government administration that the political representatives of that section of our people equally share in the power of National Government. Thus the alternative offered is a 'Power Sharing Government at National Level'. In turn what we require from our Protestant neighbours is that they face the reality of a new order. For although mainly the descendants of those who were settled here in order to keep Ireland subdued and 'British' is it not time for them to acknowledge that they are as Irish as the walls of Derry... that no longer is there Gael, Norman, or Scot, etc. � only the Irish by birth and by allegiance. Which after all  is what their kin who left for what is now the United States during the religious persecutions after the Boyne acknowledges � proud of their origins but out and out Americans. Also as traditionally expressed upholders of civil liberties they are being asked to support the principle of democracy which is the base of the former. The difference being that in agreeing to the implementation of majority aspiration they will share equally in the powers of national government. To conclude, the contributions of Protestants to Irish life, nationalism/republicanism, and culture, is immense, therefore their presence and positive contribution is a necessary part of a united Ireland. In no way do I see them as the enemy but I do believe that they are a collective victim and that the author of their victim hood is Britain. In fact we are all victims of the problem which is a British problem, a problem which Britain can remove through courage and good will or sustained international pressure. And in its removal the problem should be replaced with a National Power-Sharing Government. Yes, I acknowledge problems to be faced in its implementation but that is inevitable because of our fallibility as humans and our history. The problem I repeat is Britain's, however, and the ball is firmly  in their court. Looking for expedient or short term solutions ensures the continuation of the problem with its distrust, instability, and the inevitable violence. Thus the southern political establishment instead of paying lip service to national unity and self-determination must take the lead and serve the people of the nation equally by strenuously pursuing political unity. Otherwise a peace less future will continue to stain their hands. *Reprinted at Ireland's OWN per submission of the author. Page updated 15 Mar 2008 Ireland's OWN Logo by Eamann Website Design and Celtic Background by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2008 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.