Northern Ireland's power-sharing cabinet offers hope for future

The first official meeting of Northern Ireland's new power-sharing cabinet last Thursday marked the successful completion of a series of political compromises. The seemingly endless peace process has finally resulted in a new joint government representing both the Protestant majority and Catholic minority of the region, both the unionists who wish to remain linked with Britain and those who had hoped to unite with the Republic of Ireland. This new power-sharing legislature may finally bring peace to an area that has seen 3,300 deaths in the last three decades of violence. We hope it lasts.

Following the terms set out by last year's Good Friday agreement, Britain ended 27 years of direct rule, giving local politicians the power to run Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland, in turn, has relinquished its constitutional territorial claim to the British province.

The Protestant Ulster Unionist Party agreed to drop their demand that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) begin disarming before they formed a government that includes Sinn Fein, the IRA's political wing. The IRA has appointed a representative to meet with a disarmament commission.

The compromises on both sides are significant. For years, the Ulster Unionist Party would not consider any alternative to exclusive Protestant rule of Northern Ireland, nor would the IRA relent in its violent pursuit of a united Ireland. Now, the Protestant political parties have accepted Sinn Fein representatives into the new cabinet, as well as closer cooperation between their new government and that of the Republic of Ireland. The Catholic political parties have accepted that a unified Ireland may never become a reality.

However, while off to a strong start, the peace process remains dangerously fragile. David Trimble, the Protestant leader of the new joint government, said he'll resign if the IRA does not begin disposing its weapons by Feb. 1. Many would follow his lead, ensuring the disintegration of the fledgling government. While the IRA has met a key term of the peace agreement by assigning a disarmament representative, it has made no promises to honor the February deadline.

The difficulties faced by the peace process are exemplified by the boycott of the cabinet's first meeting by two of its 12 ministers. These two, as members of the hardcore Protestant Democratic Unionist Party, have agreed to serve as ministers of the cabinet, but never want to be in the same room as Sinn Fein's two representative ministers.

Regardless, the recent steps towards peace have been the most significant in years, and offer a real hope for Northern Ireland's future. The British and Irish governments contributed, as did U.S. mediation led by former Sen. George Mitchell. However, the most credit goes to moderate leaders on both the Protestant and Catholic sides who risked their political futures and more to end the strife. Making compromises in the blood-feud atmosphere of Northern Ireland is no easy task.

The people of Northern Ireland now, finally, have the opportunity to chart their own future. Given the current attitude of the new power-sharing government's constituents, that future is increasingly likely to be a peaceful one.