The more things change, the more they stay the same, was one cynic's response to the election results in Northern Ireland on November 26, which resulted in overwhelming victories for Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Gerry Adams's Sinn Féin Party. Other, less cynical observers point out that the majority of voters, 70 percent, chose to support pro-Agreement … [Read more...] about Northern Ireland in Crisis?
Peace Process
Peace Process Put on Hold
The hopes that were raised in the latest advances in the peace process were dashed as Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble criticized the transparency of IRA decommissioning and said he was "putting the process on hold." Trimble demanded a more explicit statement from the IRA on the number and type of arms it put beyond use. But the IRA and Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Féin, … [Read more...] about Peace Process Put on Hold
Martin McGuinness: The Man, The Myth, The Minister
The evolution of Martin McGuinness – from high school dropout and IRA man to political leader seeking an end to violence and, finally, his emergence as Northern Ireland's Minister for Education. If it's fair to judge the effectiveness of a politician by the depth of his opponents' dislike for him, then the Sinn Féin MP and Assemblyman for Mid-Ulster, Martin McGuinness, … [Read more...] about Martin McGuinness: The Man, The Myth, The Minister
For the Defense
If political power can be judged by how an individual influences society and changes its laws, then there's an arguable case for British defense lawyer Michael Mansfield being one of the most powerful figures on the British stage today. The list of trials and inquiries in which he has played a major role reads like a legal history of the last 20 years, including … [Read more...] about For the Defense
The Dawn of a New Peace
HISTORIC NI AGREEMENT GIVES HOPE FOR FUTURE: Deaglán de Bréadún, Northern Editor of The Irish Times, describes an epic week in the history of the North of Ireland culminating in the historic peace deal. ℘℘℘ I have been privileged to cover two truly epic stories in my career as a journalist. One was the mass migration of the Kurds from northern Iraq into Iran and Turkey … [Read more...] about The Dawn of a New Peace