The Catholic and Church of Ireland Primates of All Ireland have made an impassioned defence of the Good Friday Agreement on the twentieth anniversary of the signing of the historic peace deal.
In a joint statement,the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin and his Church of Ireland counterpart Archbishop Richard Clarke said the peace the accord brought to Northern Ireland “took a great effort to achieve” and they warned that “it will equally take risk, and leadership at all levels, to maintain”.
The peace deal’s explicit rejection of the use or threat of violence, together with its emphasis on the principles of “partnership, equality and mutual respect” as the “basis of relationships” within these islands, has continuing potential to transform society and life for all, the two church leaders stated.
“Nothing remotely its equal has been outlined then or since,” they said.
Archbishops Martin and Clarke also expressed gratitude “for the generation of young people who are growing up without the sounds of bomb or bullet on a daily basis; for the livelihoods and businesses which have not been destroyed; for the families and neighbourhoods who have been spared the heart-breaking pain and trauma of death or serious injury”.
Their shared prayer was that the anniversary of the Belfast Agreement would help to rekindle a spirit of opportunity, healing and hope for lasting peace which, they said, “is now needed more than ever” and they called on all people of good will to be ambassadors of reconciliation, helping to rebuild trust and mutual respect.
Referring to the current political impasse in Northern Ireland - in January 2017, the power-sharing government in Stormont collapsed over a row between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin and the institutions remain suspended - the two archbishops challenged, “it is worth asking ourselves: is it because the principles and structure of the Good Friday Agreement have failed us, or, rather is it that we have together failed to make the most of those supportive principles which it offered?”
They paid tribute to the efforts of the international community who not only invested significantly in the process which led to the Agreement, but who “have remained alongside us as our partners for peace”.
The peace deal, committed Northern Ireland’s political parties to resolving political issues by democratic and peaceful methods and it effectively brought an end to ‘The Troubles’, which resulted in the deaths of 3,532, the majority of whom were civilians.
The former US president Bill Clinton is expected in Northern Ireland later today (Tuesday 10 April) to mark the anniversary of the Agreement, along with US Senator George Mitchell, the diplomat who brokered the Good Friday deal. They will receive the freedom of Belfast in a special ceremony at the Ulster Hall later today.
PICTURE: Archbishop Eamon Martin with Archbishop Richard Clarke ©LiamMcArdle.com
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