Vision for Northern Ireland in the New Millennium
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The dawning of the New Millennium took on special significance in Northern Ireland as hopes for peace in the war-torn country were heightened by the euphoria of the celebrations. Even fireworks were allowed for the first time since the beginning of the Troubles. After more than thirty years of strife in the province there is, however, every good reason to be optimistic that the New Year will be a turning point for Ulster and that the bitter sectarian conflict that has claimed more than 3,500 lives will finally end.
According to Des Ekin looking back at "A Thousand Years of War and Peace" in an article in the Sunday World "The final year of the Millennium has proved an epic period in Irish politics. It has given us scenes so unprecedented, so previously unimaginable that many seasoned political observers have had to pinch themselves to make sure they weren't dreaming." ( cf. annotations, 1. )
What, you might ask, has happened to bring about this seemingl miracle in a situation which has long been a major problem for Britain ? What factors have contributed to this success story written by British history just in time before the end of the twentieth century ?
In spite of the Good Friday Peace Agreement signed on 10th April, 1998 after gruelling peace talks lasting nearly five years and a 17-month boycott of the new government, it seemed until early December 1999 that the power-sharing executive of Catholics and Protestants under the leadereship of David Trimble would never actually sit down together...