Calls for political action by Irish Northern Aid
Thursday, 16 June, 2005
US Senate Resolution 173
109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 173
Expressing support for the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 as the blueprint for lasting peace in Northern Ireland.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 16, 2005 Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. DODD, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. BIDEN, and Mr. LEAHY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 as the blueprint for lasting peace in Northern Ireland.
Whereas in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, in Belfast, was endorsed in a referendum by the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland;
Whereas the parties to the Good Friday Agreement made a clear commitment to `partnership, equality, and mutual respect' as the basis for moving forward in pursuit of lasting peace in Northern Ireland;
Whereas the parties to the Good Friday Agreement also affirmed 'their total and absolute commitment to exclusively democratic and peaceful means' in pursuit of lasting peace in Northern Ireland;
Whereas inclusive power-sharing based on these defining qualities is essential to the viability and advancement of the democratic process in Northern Ireland;
Whereas paramilitary and criminal activity in a democratic society undermines the trust and confidence that are essential in a political system based on inclusive power-sharing in Northern Ireland;
Whereas the United States Government continues to strongly support the peace process in Northern Ireland; and
Whereas the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Ireland continue to strongly support the Good Friday Agreement as the way forward in the peace process, and have committed themselves to its implementation: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That
(1) the Senate reiterates its support for the Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, in Belfast, as the blueprint for a lasting peace in Northern Ireland; and
(2) it is the sense of the Senate that
(A) the Irish Republican Army must immediately
(i) complete the process of decommissioning;
(ii) cease to exist as a paramilitary organization; and
(iii) end its involvement in any way in paramilitary and criminal activity;
(B) the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland must
(i) share power with all parties according to the democratic mandate of the Good Friday Agreement; and
(ii) commit to work in good faith with all the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, which established an inclusive Executive and the North-South Ministerial Council, for the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland;
(C) Sinn Fein must work in good faith with the Police Service of Northern Ireland;
(D) the leadership of Sinn Fein must insist that those responsible for the murder of Robert McCartney and those who were witnesses to the murder
(i) cooperate directly with the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and
(ii) be protected fully from any retaliation by the Irish Republican Army; and
(E) the Government of the United Kingdom must
(i) permanently restore the democratic institutions of Northern Ireland;
(ii) complete the process of demilitarization in Northern Ireland; and
(iii) advance equality and human rights agendas in Northern Ireland.
Commentary on US Senate Resolution 173
Irish Northern Aid, USA
Irish Northern Aid welcomes the introduction of Senate Resolution 173 by Senators Kennedy, Collins, Dodd, McCain, Biden and Leahy, which expresses support for the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Irish Northern Aid, along with other Irish American organizations, has been campaigning since 1998 for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
While we agree with the basic sentiment of the proposed Senate Resolution, we believe it wrongly implies that Irish Republicans are to blame for the lack of implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. All parties bear some responsibility. However, the failure of the British Government to complete the Patten recommendations on police reform; to reform the judicial system; to introduce and implement equality and human rights legislation have all led to disillusionment and a lack of confidence in the British government's ability and interest in implementing those parts of the Good Friday Agreement that fall completely under their command.
The Irish Government, as guardians of nationalists' rights and co-equal partner to the British Government, are lacking in their responsibilities for challenging the British on their lack of implementation. Most observers of Irish politics recognize that the Irish Government has been acting out of fear of Sinn Fein's electoral successes in the Irish Republic rather than fulfilling their role in guaranteeing the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
Since the mid-1990's, whenever the peace process has stalled it has been Irish Republicans who have come forward with the initiative and momentum to get the process back on track. Sinn Fein clearly has the full faith and confidence of majority of nationalists living in the six counties. Their democratic mandate speaks for itself and the US Government should ensure that it is not ignored by the governments or other parties.
We too seek justice for the family of Robert McCartney as we do for the nearly 300 families of victims of State force collusion including the Finucanes, the Hammils and the Nelsons.
Finally, we ask Senator Kennedy and the co-sponsoring Senators to make two amendments to Resolution 173: first, to include support for full public inquiries and justice for the victims of state collusion; and second, to call upon the British Government to fulfill their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement."
Contact and make your protest known to US Senators
Be sure to make it clear that certain aspects of the resolution are unacceptable
Contact by email or phone each member for the Foreign Relations Committee if you have the time, but surely the resolution sponsors. Another option is to call the Majority and Minority committee secretaries with your concerns. [See below].
Talking Points:
A] The positives:
1] Calling for the full implementation of the GFA [including demilitarization, equality, etc.];
2] Criticism of DUP rejectionism and the unimpeded institution of the power-sharing assembly and executive.
B] The primary problems with the Resolution are:
1] Placing undue blame and onus on Irish Republicans when every one of the four British suspensions of the GFA institutions were caused by false allegations against Republicans and/or blatant Unionist sabotage. We see no wording in the resolution such as "The UVF or UDA or UFF must disband, give up criminal activity, etc ..." Only the IRA "must ..."
2] No mention of Loyalist paramilitary criminality, violence, and violations of nationalist's rights -- already all too evident during this "marching season."
3] Perpetuating the illusion that the only problem with policing in the north is Sinn Fein's refusal to sit on the Policing Board; and
4] Singling out of the killing of Robert McCartney without mention of the terrible toll of human life in this conflict, including the 100-plus murders perpetrated by Loyalists SINCE the GFA signing and the many hundreds of unsolved murders committed under suspicious circumstances pointing toward collusion by British military and government agencies.
Contact: Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Chair: Richard Lugar [R - Indiana] Ranking Member: Joseph Biden [D- Del]
Republicans: Chuck Hegel, Nebraska Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island George Allen, Virginia Norm Coleman. Minnesota George Voinovich, Ohio Lamar Alexander, Tennessee John Sununu, New Hampshire Lisa Murkowski. Alaska Mel Martinez, Florida
Democrats: Paul Sarbanes, Maryland Chris Dodd, Connecticut John Kerry, Massachusetts Russell Feingold, Wisconsin Barbara Boxer, California Bill Nelson, Florida Barack Obama, Illinois
* All Senators [all members of congress] can be reached through the Capital Switchboard: 202-225-3121
* The Majority Senators [Republicans] on the committee can be reached at: 202-224-4651; Minority Senators [Democrats] can be reached at: 202-224-3953
* To send emails to individual committee members, contact: http://foreign.senate.gov/about.html When you reach the web site, hit "Membership and More" to communicate to individual Senators.