Northern Ireland Political Conflict - Case Study Example

Is there now in place an enduring framework for the peaceful resolution of political conflict in Northern Ireland Introduction: The Northern Ireland conflict resolution and peace process could be examined to suggest whether the peaceful resolution is an enduring framework or whether there are other social and political issues that should be considered within the framework of the resolution of political conflict. The Good Friday Agreement of April 10, 1998, in Northern Ireland has been considered as a landmark settlement that was achieved after months of intensive negotiations and ended three decades of England's rule. The accord allowed Protestants to share political power with the minority Catholics, and it gave the Republic of Ireland a stronghold in the political and social affairs of Northern Ireland. This essay discusses the various perspectives to the peace process and conflict resolution in Northern Ireland showing that the outcome of the peace process as an enduring framework could be interpreted in different ways. Facts: After the finalisation of the Northern Ireland accord, all Northern Ireland political groups agreed on the formation of a new coalition government, but in 1999 the peace process faced a major setback when the IRA refused to disarm. The IRA claimed that it would disarm only after a new government is formed. The Ulster Unionists wanted disarmament of the IRA and boycotted the Assembly session that would have nominated a new coalition government. Thus the initiated Northern Irish government that was promised in the 1998 accord was brought to a halt in 1999. This process of new government formation was attempted several times although failed consequently due to IRA's failure to keep promises on decommissioning, a position they held in 1998. The IRA disarmed completely in 2005 to end violence making way for an enduring peace process in the region. However it is important to focus on whether this has been successful. The Northern Ireland Peace process - Issues Globalisation seems to have played a major role in transforming the approach to conflict and in bringing about stability within a region. This could be explained by the fact that the emergence of global institutions associated with globalisation can bring about changes towards de-territorialsing sovereignty and can also provide solutions to resolve the ethno national conflicts within a trans-national context. Globalisation perspectives consider the national problems at a global level and in case of both Northern Ireland and Israel Palestine conflicts, conflict resolution has been associated with global integration although in these two cases, there have been many differences in the structure, dynamics and outcomes of the peace process (Ben Porat, 2005). Ben Porat (2005) has highlighted the fact that the Agreement in Northern Ireland meant for peaceful resolution has been based on a power sharing model between Protestants and Catholics so that both the groups could claim and express their national identity. This according to Ben Porat is quite in contrast to the peace process in the Middle East and agreement between Israel and Palestine that focused on partition rather than power sharing. Coakley (2003) points out that the agreement of 1998 between British and Irish governments has been a subtle political document which could be exemplary and a model for other similar conflicts. Coakley discusses extensively on the features of the agreement suggesting that the document included several important decisions and compromises in the areas of citizenship, rights, equality, reforms, and criminal justice systems, release of prisoners, demilitarization and decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. All these aspects were considered within the agreement and being a very comprehensive document, the 1998 settlement could be considered as exemplary as some of its features would be common to all similar conflicts providing a basis for conflict resolution. Dingley (2005) however claim that the 1998 agreement which has been considered as a breakthrough and exemplary method of conflict resolution and a model for international emulation could well be a failure as it has surrendered to terrorism and has increased sectarian segregation and hostility among groups. Dingley puts forward a concept of 'constructive ambiguity' which shows that each party could interpret the document differently and due to the difference in understanding the core issues of the agreement, the parties have signed up although this has led to misunderstanding between parties before and after signing the agreement. The misunderstanding would naturally suggest that the partitas who signed the agreement were not in agreement as expected and this could lead to further ambiguities in the process of conflict resolution. Dingley points out that on top of the misunderstanding n ambiguity of the agreement, the politicians and senior civil servants have focused largely focused on irrelevant issues and avoided the real issues of the peace process and there has been little or no solution to the real problems of Northern Ireland. Dingley makes strong claims that the Northern Ireland situation is even worse due to political apathy and misrepresentations of the peace process. Considering both the negative and positive reactions to the peace process and Belfast agreement, we can take our discussion further to examine whether the framework for peace would be an enduring one and whether the peace process has given way to progress in the region. McAuley (2004) argue that the politics in Northern Ireland has been dominated by a search for an 'enduring settlement' to the Northern Ireland conflict that would focus on an agreed set of political values and arrangements between the Ulster Unionists and loyalists and the Irish nationalists and republicans. McAuley emphasises the need for constructive social relationships between these groups highlighting the fact that sectarian division between these groups are still persistent and still remain the root cause of conflicts. In his study McAuley emphasises on political values and suggests that any political resolution to a conflict would be dependent on how the values are transmitted through generations and how young people construct their own perception about society. Thus values seem to define social constructions and general perception about society. The process of political socialisation or understanding society through values would be largely dependent on the political identity process and this would be particularly relevant in the context of young politically conscious people pf Northern Ireland (McAuley, 2004). Douglas (1998) emphasised on the processes of social change in Northern Ireland considering the theoretical perspective of consociationalism. He examines what he considers as the 'politics of accommodation' in which there is a growing pattern of cross community interaction on non political and non constitutional issues that seem to have created political and social diversity across Northern Ireland. Douglas claims that the significance of social change in Northern Ireland is yet to be assessed after the stage of conflict resolution especially with regard to its effect on the paramilitary groups. Douglas' emphasis seem to be focused on highlighting the role of the state in not just suppressing social and political conflict but also in building communities and eradicating the roots of conflict. Conclusion: The peace process in Northern Ireland could only be considered as an enduring framework if there is more government participation and focus on changing social systems to inculcate values and more constructive engagement of young people within the political and social system in the region. The IRA's decommissioning at a later stage could only move the peace process forward and is an essential step for an enduring peace process, although only the future would be able to tell us whether the peace process as initiated by the 1998 power sharing settlement has been completely successful. Bibliography: Ben-Porat, Guy (2005) Grounds for Peace; Territoriality and Conflict Resolution Geopolitics, Volume 10,Number 1, pp. 147-166(20) Coakley John (2003) Ethnic conflict and its resolution: the Northern Ireland model Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, Volume 9,Number 3, pp. 25-53(29) Cochrane, Feargal (2001) Unsung Heroes The Role of Peace and Conflict Resolution Organizations in the Northern Ireland Conflict Northern Ireland and the Divided World, pp. 137-157(21) Dingley, James (2005) Constructive Ambiguity and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland Low Intensity Conflict & Law Enforcement, Volume 13,Number 1, pp. 1-23(23) Douglas N. (1998) The politics of accommodation, social change and conflict resolution in Northern Ireland Political Geography, Volume 17,Number 2, pp. 209-229 108 109 107 McAuley James W. (2004) Peace and Progress Political and Social Change Among Young Loyalists in Northern Ireland Journal of Social Issues, Volume 60,Number 3, pp. 541-562(22) McKee Peter (2000) Re-education, Adolescence and Conflict Resolution: Lessons from Northern Ireland Development, Volume 43,Number 1, pp. 83-88(6) BBC News, 2005 IRA Statements 1998 - 2005 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4607913.stm Read More