Decommissioning in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
Decommissioning in Northern Ireland
was a process in the Belfast Agreement
as part of the Northern Ireland peace process
. Under the Belfast Agreement, all paramilitary groups fighting in The Troubles
would decommission. The concern about decommissioning was a defining issue in the effort to negotiate a peace in Northern Ireland.
, or Good Friday Agreement, was signed in Belfast
on 10 April 1998 (Good Friday
) by the British
and Irish
governments and endorsed by most Northern Ireland
political parties.
It contained provisions for a government involving both Catholics and Protestants, whose traditional aspirations, expressed as Republicanism and Unionism, had often clashed over the years. It recognized the legitimacy of those aspirations. One of the provisions of the agreement was that the parties agree to collectively use their influence to achieve decommissioning within two years - by May 2000.
(IICD) was established to oversee the decommissioning. Its objective was to facilitate the decommissioning of firearms, ammunition and explosives.
(IRA) was reluctant to disarm. The IRA refused to disarm because they said that the British government had reneged on its side of the bargain, by watering down reforms of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and by failing to pull troops out of Northern Ireland.
After the original deadline for decommissioning - May 2000 - passed, the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning set June 30, 2001. That date passed as well without full disarmament.
The crisis hit its climax in July 2001 as David Trimble
, the Ulster Unionist leader, resigned as first minister of the power-sharing Northern Ireland executive in protest against the IRA failure to redeem its pledge to put its weapons "completely and verifiably beyond use" (he was later reelected). The peace process was on the brink of collapse again after the Provisional IRA failed to convince the UK Government or the Ulster Unionists that they had made "sufficient progress towards decommissioning".
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
at the time, described the breakthrough as "significant" and "historic". Gen. John de Chastelain of Canada, chairman of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, said the proposals had been accepted by the panel as ones that would "put I.R.A. arms completely and verifiably beyond use." The Ulster Unionists had said they would no longer take part in the Northern Ireland Assembly
if the IRA did not begin disarming. The announcement came after meetings between the commission and a representative of the IRA.
After the September 11 attacks, the paramilitary groups stepped up their decommissioning.
In June 2009, both the UVF and Red Hand Commando announced that they had completed a process of decommissioning. The UDA confirmed it has started a process that would lead to the destruction of all its arms.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
was a process in the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
as part of the Northern Ireland peace process
Northern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
. Under the Belfast Agreement, all paramilitary groups fighting in The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
would decommission. The concern about decommissioning was a defining issue in the effort to negotiate a peace in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Agreement
The Belfast AgreementBelfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
, or Good Friday Agreement, was signed in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 10 April 1998 (Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
) by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
governments and endorsed by most Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
political parties.
It contained provisions for a government involving both Catholics and Protestants, whose traditional aspirations, expressed as Republicanism and Unionism, had often clashed over the years. It recognized the legitimacy of those aspirations. One of the provisions of the agreement was that the parties agree to collectively use their influence to achieve decommissioning within two years - by May 2000.
Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
The Independent International Commission on DecommissioningIndependent International Commission on Decommissioning
The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was established to oversee the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons in Northern Ireland, as part of the peace process.-Legislation and organisation:...
(IICD) was established to oversee the decommissioning. Its objective was to facilitate the decommissioning of firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Decommissioning troubles
Into late 2001, the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) was reluctant to disarm. The IRA refused to disarm because they said that the British government had reneged on its side of the bargain, by watering down reforms of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and by failing to pull troops out of Northern Ireland.
After the original deadline for decommissioning - May 2000 - passed, the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning set June 30, 2001. That date passed as well without full disarmament.
The crisis hit its climax in July 2001 as David Trimble
David Trimble
William David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC , is a politician from Northern Ireland. He served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party , was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland , and was a Member of the British Parliament . He is currently a life peer for the Conservative Party...
, the Ulster Unionist leader, resigned as first minister of the power-sharing Northern Ireland executive in protest against the IRA failure to redeem its pledge to put its weapons "completely and verifiably beyond use" (he was later reelected). The peace process was on the brink of collapse again after the Provisional IRA failed to convince the UK Government or the Ulster Unionists that they had made "sufficient progress towards decommissioning".
Breakthrough
On 7 August 2001, the IRA agreed on a method of destroying its arsenal. Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
at the time, described the breakthrough as "significant" and "historic". Gen. John de Chastelain of Canada, chairman of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, said the proposals had been accepted by the panel as ones that would "put I.R.A. arms completely and verifiably beyond use." The Ulster Unionists had said they would no longer take part in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
if the IRA did not begin disarming. The announcement came after meetings between the commission and a representative of the IRA.
After the September 11 attacks, the paramilitary groups stepped up their decommissioning.
In June 2009, both the UVF and Red Hand Commando announced that they had completed a process of decommissioning. The UDA confirmed it has started a process that would lead to the destruction of all its arms.
Timeline
- 10 April 1998 (Good FridayGood FridayGood Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
): Belfast AgreementBelfast AgreementThe Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
is signed, which agrees to have all paramilitaryParamilitaryA paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
groups in Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
decommission by May 2000. - May 2000: Deadline to disarm passes. Independent International Commission on DecommissioningIndependent International Commission on DecommissioningThe Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was established to oversee the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons in Northern Ireland, as part of the peace process.-Legislation and organisation:...
agrees on a new deadline, June 30, 2001. - 30 June 2001: Deadline to disarm passes.
- July 2001: Ulster Unionist leader David TrimbleDavid TrimbleWilliam David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC , is a politician from Northern Ireland. He served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party , was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland , and was a Member of the British Parliament . He is currently a life peer for the Conservative Party...
resigns as First MinisterFirst Minister and deputy First MinisterThe First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...
because the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) refuses to disarm. - 7 August, 2001: The IRA agrees on a method to decommission.