Good Friday Agreement Granted Dual Citizenship, Made Hard Borders Soft - Is Anyone Listening?

On Friday, April 10 1998, the Republic of Ireland (IRL) and British Northern Ireland signed the Good Friday Agreement. Not only did the historical treaty end decades of war and conflict between a predominantly Catholic and a Protestant country, the epicenter being the hard borders which existed between the two, but hard borders were changed into soft borders. Barely noticeable today, gone are the militarized checkpoints and armed patrols, including concrete walls. Known also as the Belfast Agreement, it moreover serves as an example for other nations like Israel, the U.S., and Hungary who are suffering-and causing suffering-with their hard borders and policies.

The Troubles
What led to the Good Friday Agreement was the recognition that reclaiming stolen land, seeking asylum or safety, and citizenship rights should never be crimes. Nor did it make sense to continue policies that had already caused 3600 violent deaths, and which only made hard borders harder. These then were the questions that British Northern Ireland and the IRL were confronted with. There were other issues as well, such as centuries of British and protestant rule, now consigned to the overland country of Northern Ireland, and Catholic Ireland’s reunification with its entire island nation. Trade and the minority of Irish Catholics still living in British Northern Ireland made matters worse.

Another thing that made matters worse were the IRL’s Irish Republican Army (IRA) and North Ireland’s militant Unionists. Since neither recognized the border that existed, both governments enacted tariffs and started a trade war. Then came the many checkpoints between the two countries. They were eventually transformed into just 20 militarized crossings and concrete borders. Even then, street riots, car bombs, and assassinations, became a common occurrence, as did towers and armed patrols by British troops. Known as The Troubles, both sides had suffered from 30 years of war and bloodshed.

The Solutions
Party leaders of the two nations finally set down together in 1998 to solve the violence and ongoing crisis at the border. They ultimately realized that lives may have been lost, but nearly all of those who still lived through The Troubles until now felt as helpless and as frightened as ever. Frightened because of the increasing “savagery” of the sectarian attacks; and helpless because there seemed no prospect of settlement. What’s more, the people of both countries were all but secure. This, due to the sharp rise in atrocities carried out by paramilitary groups. Despite the death toll which kept rising, and rising, both sides manufactured bombs and carry out assassinations with apparent impunity.

The Good Friday Agreement was a multi-party agreement by most of Northern Ireland’s political parties and an international agreement between the British and Irish. Not only did the agreement address sovereignty claims, civil and cultural rights, decommissioning weapons, justice, and policing issues, but a well-informed referendum was voted on. One interesting civil rights issue addressed in the treaty was citizenship rights and grievances over land reclamation. People born in Northern Ireland could choose to be Irish citizens, British citizens or both. This not only helped address the needs of those Irish Catholics living in Northern Ireland but appeased the militant wings.

Hard Border Becomes Soft-And Sovereign
It moreover opened the door for a future vote regarding British Northern Ireland’s destiny. A future vote which ensured the possibility of Northern Ireland someday being united with Ireland and no longer a British overland territory. In effect, this enabled the IRA to make a bold declaration. It read: “Recognizing the potential of the current situation and in order to enhance the peace process and underlie out commitment to its success, the leadership of the IRA have decided that…there will be a complete cessation of military operations. All of our unites have been instructed accordingly.” The Troubles were finally over, as were the riots, car bombs and assassination. So was the fear.

The militarized crossings with armored personnel carriers and concrete borders were removed too. There are now 270 crossings between Ireland and Northern Ireland, most barely visible. It’s as if there was a sense of a renewed hope and peace in the Good Friday Agreement, of faith in man’s humanity towards man. Goodwill, forgiveness and trust were also evident. Except for those who still want reparations for relatives killed by British troops or paramilitary groups, the agreement has held. The hard borders which existed between the two countries moreover remain soft, backed with “soft power.”

The Parallels And Road Map
Parallels between the IRL and British Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement are many when compared to Israel and Gaza and the West Bank, the U.S. and Mexico, and Hungary and its immigrants. They too must grapple with competing histories of conquest and occupation, of religious and national identities, and differing languages and cultures. They also have hard borders that are not only costing billions of dollars and causing scenes of violent clashes but appear to be getting harder-making matters worse. There may consequently be something to a renewed sense of hope and peace, of faith in man’s humanity towards man. It should include goodwill, forgiveness and trust.

There may also be something to a multi-party and international agreement which addresses sovereignty claims, civil and cultural rights, decommissioning weapons, and justice and policing issues. The same goes for dual citizenship and a well-informed referendum to be voted on. As Gordon Wilson reminded everyone on the road to the Good Friday Agreement: “Compromise is not giving in, it is maturity. I appeal to the political leaders to sit down, all of them, to listen to their electors, to present their policies, to reach out to love their neighbors and common God.”

Otherwise, The Troubles may just be starting for those countries which continue to impose hard borders. This includes either second- and third-class citizenship, or no-citizenship whatsoever.

Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John’s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.WN.com. You can read more of Dallas’ writings at www.beverlydarling.com and www.WN.com/dallasdarling.