wfn.org | U.S. Catholics And Presbyterians Call For Support

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17-March-1999 
99113 
 
    U.S. Catholics And Presbyterians Call For 
    Support For Northern Ireland 
 
    by Alexa Smith 
 
    A joint statement has been issued by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
and the U.S. Catholic Conference on St. Patrick's Day, 1999, calling for 
continued U.S. support for Northern Ireland's peace process.  It reads: 
 
    "Irish men and women in both parts of Ireland, along with the many 
friends of Ireland in America and around the world, celebrate this year's 
Feast of St. Patrick at a time of great hope and equally great uncertainty. 
 
    Last year's Good Friday Agreement offers the best hope in a generation 
of resolving thirty years of conflict and of building a more just and 
peaceful society in Northern Ireland; but seemingly intractable disputes 
over paramilitary arsenals increasingly threaten the political solution 
that received overwhelming support in last May's referenda by citizens of 
the Irish Republic and by citizens of Northern Ireland, nationalists and 
unionists alike. 
 
    While there is a real impasse as regards the formation of the Executive 
for Northern Ireland, there is a wider agenda flowing from the Good Friday 
Agreement which must not be overlooked or "parked."  It deals with 
policing, equality and human rights.  It must also be pursued vigorously 
and energetically.  In view of the murder of the prominent human rights 
lawyer Rosemary Nelson in a car bombing Monday, uneasiness about the loss 
of impetus in the peace process seems justified. 
 
    A way forward must be found to resolve the current impasse and to 
implement all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement.  As the Church and 
Government Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland points out, this 
remarkable agreement "does not represent defeat or assimilation but is 
rather a political accommodation which could be a way out of the darkness 
of the last thirty years into a better future."  Archbishop Sean Brady of 
Armagh, president of the Irish Bishops' Conference, rightly observes that, 
by their overwhelming support for the agreement, the people of Ireland 
"have chosen the path of cooperation, equality and mutual respect as a 
basis for future relationships." 
 
    It is ultimately the responsibility of the political leaders of 
Northern Ireland to carry out the mandate voted by their fellow citizens 
from both communities.  What is needed is a generous measure of courage, 
determination, perseverance and willingness to engage in genuine dialogue 
for the sake of the common good - the same qualities that produced the Good 
Friday Agreement.  But continued American engagement and support for the 
peacemakers remain vital, as does the indispensable support of the British 
and Irish governments. 
 
    Americans can support the peacemakers in Northern Ireland in several 
ways: 
 
    * We must make clear that no group that threatens or refuses to disavow 
violence will enjoy our support.  We cannot claim to support peace in 
Northern Ireland if we rationalized or justify the indefensible resort to 
violence by paramilitaries on either side.  A commitment by all groups to 
exclusively peaceful and democratic means is the only way forward. 
 
    * We must clearly acknowledge that there are two principal communities 
and traditions, each deserving of equal dignity and respect, in Northern 
Ireland.  Each is enriched by and depends on the other; each is 
impoverished by discord and division between them.  Unionists and 
nationalists alike can achieve authentic self-determination only by 
affirming the other community's legitimacy and rights, and by accommodating 
diversity through dialogue and compromise.  Both communities have a common 
stake in greater social and economic justice, an end to discrimination, and 
greater respect for human rights of all kinds.  Justice and peace for both 
nationalists and unionists are necessary to secure a future of hope for all 
the people of Ireland. 
 
    * Finally, we must continue to contribute to peace in Northern Ireland 
through the many practical initiatives already undertaken or in prospect. 
American businesses that invest in Northern Ireland are creating 
desperately needed jobs, especially for those who suffer discrimination and 
lack of opportunity.  The Business Education Initiative brings some 150 
college students, most from disadvantaged areas, for one year of business 
studies at 90 Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, and Episcopal colleges 
throughout the United States.  The International Fund for Ireland and many 
private funding programs support valuable cross-community development and 
reconciliation efforts.  These and many other practical acts of solidarity 
are indispensable to peace in Northern Ireland. 
 
    This year's Feast of St. Patrick is a fitting moment to reflect on a 
most eventful year.  To paraphrase Ecclesiastes, it is at once a time to 
celebrate the Good Friday Agreement and the Nobel Prizes for Peace, and a 
time to mourn the victims of the Omagh bombing and all the other victims of 
this conflict.  And it is time to reflect on the blessings God has bestowed 
on the people from both parts of the island.  As we celebrate the historic 
ties that bind Ireland and America, let us pledge to continue making good 
use of these special ties to support and encourage a just peace and 
reconciliation for which so many in Northern Ireland yearn, work and pray." 
 
The Reverend Clifton Kirkpatrick 
Stated Clerk 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
 
Most Reverend Theodore E. McCarrick 
Archbishop of Newark 
Chairman, International Policy Committee 
U.S. Catholic Conference 

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