How Northern Ireland clinched its peace deal

Lynn OCKERSZ

SOLUTION: The solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka should be in the hands of Lankans. It should be a "home-grown solution".

This thought-provoking point was made by Paul Murphy MP, a former British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (2002-2005), and a principal figure in the Northern Ireland peace process, during a public address at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce auditorium on November 14.

Murphy was outlining his "experience and crucial role played in the Northern Ireland peace initiative". The talk was organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the British High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Murphy's three day visit was the result of a special invitation extended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa through British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Murphy who was tipped to meet a wide cross section of the local public, including politicians, state officials, business people, NGOs and the media, was accompanied by Chris Maccabe, the British Joint Secretary of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat. Murphy is at present a back bencher Labour MP for Torfaen in Wales and Chairman of the UK Government's Intelligence and Security Committee.

Murphy pointed out that a vital factor that spurred the search for a political solution in Northern Ireland was the realisation in the Republican movement as well as the British government that none could win the war.

This thought, he said, must be in the minds of many in Sri Lanka too, following decades of bloodshed and violence here. This feeling was particularly accentuated in the Northern Ireland peace process after September 11, 2006.

Expressing "great sadness at so many human lives wasted" in both Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka, Murphy pointed out that Northern Ireland enjoyed a number of commonalities with Sri Lanka. Not least of these is an affable and charming civilian population.

Both Sri Lanka and Northern Ireland were also characterized by a number of diversities: religious, language, ethnic. In fact the conflicts in both areas evolved around these identities. They are both identity-based conflicts spurred by competing group claims.

As in the case of Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland's economic development too was stymied by the conflict.

The Northern Irish "troubles" broke out in the early sixties and continued until the mid nineties when the peace effort was pursued in the wake of the realisation that there was no military solution to the conflict.

A shift in international opinion towards a negotiated settlement, particularly among the Irish diaspora in the US, facilitated the search for a negotiated settlement.

Besides being "home grown", a striking feature of the Northern Ireland negotiatory process towards a political settlement was its inclusivity.

That is, all relevant local parties and actors were involved in the talks for a settlement; even the smallest of them. They talked for "years" to reach a settlement, Murphy pointed out and emphasized that there was an enduring will among them to reach a settlement.

This determination too was a key in successful conflict resolution in Northern Ireland. Murphy pointed out that he spent some three years virtually in Northern Ireland guiding the talks.

This elaborate talks structure evolved into the 'Good Friday' agreement, which was blessed by both the British and Irish governments.

There was also bipartisan support among the Labour and Conservative parties in Britain for the agreement and this too helped in bringing about the settlement.

These parties did not resort to opportunistic politics and this proved vital in wrapping-up the agreement.

Every conceivable aspect of the conflict was taken up for discussion by the parties which included, decommissioning of arms, socio-economic development, policing, prisoner releases and the criminal justice system.

At the beginning, the main parties to the conflict, the Republicans and pro-British parties, did not speak to each other but they eventually did as the peace process unfolded.

It was pointed out that although the peace process in Northern Ireland was completed the same could not be said of the political process. For the latter to reach completion the distrust among the parties must completely cease.

Quipping that he was no preacher but something of a teacher, Murphy pointed out that great, positive changes have come over Northern Ireland as a result of the peace process which resulted in power-sharing governance in the province.

There is no substantial police or military presence in Northern Ireland now, but earlier it resembled Sri Lanka in this respect.

However, what was possible in Northern Ireland is possible in Sri Lanka too, provided the essential features of the Northern Irish exercise are seen here too.

That is, in addition to inclusivity, a spirit of compromise must pervade Lanka's negotiations. There must also be a stable ceasefire and respect for diversity. Each others viewpoints needed to be understood.

Even with regard to an appropriate constitutional structure in Sri Lanka, nothing is impossible, if the will to succeed exists. Equally, the "right people" were needed for the job.

Noting that all religions practised in Sri Lanka emphasized peace and unity, Murphy said he "hopes and prays Sri Lanka will go in this direction".

Chairman, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Mahen Dayananda, chaired the proceedings.