Glossary of Political or Paramilitary Terms
APNI -- Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Alliance Party. A mainly middle-class political party which aims to attract support from both the main communities in Northern Ireland. David Ford has been the leader of the party since October 2001.
DUP -- Democratic Unionist Party. The second largest of the Unionist parties after the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). The party mainly attracts support from working-class Protestants. Ian Paisley has been leader of the DUP since it was formed in 1971.
INLA - Irish National Liberation Army. One of the main Republican paramilitary groups. Formed in 1975 from disaffected members of the Official IRA (OIRA) and members of other Republican groups, the INLA did not assent to the ceasefire in 1994.
IRA -- Irish Republican Army -- The original and primary Nationalist paramilitary group. The IRA split in 1969 into the Provisional IRA (more militant, declaring war on the occupying British Army) and the Official IRA (less popular, claiming to used defensive violence only). Currently the term "IRA" is applied to what used to be called the PIRA because the OIRA has virtually ceased to exist since their 1972 ceasefire.
IRSP - Irish Republican Socialist Party. A very leftist political group, considered to be the political wing of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA). Main aim is to establish a 32 county socialist republic in Ireland. The IRSP has been critical of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) ceasefires.
Loyalist - Strictly the term refers to one who is loyal to the British Crown. The term in Northern Ireland context is used by many to imply that the person gives tacit or actual support the use of force by paramilitary groups to 'defend the union' with Britain.
Nationalist - In Northern Ireland the term is used for those who hold a long-term wish for the reunification of Ireland. The majority of people from the Catholic community are Nationalist. It should be noted that not all Nationalists support Republican (more militant) groups.
PUP -- Progressive Unionist Party. Loyalist political party which has links to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). David Ervine and Billy Hutchinson are the main spokesmen for the party.
Republican - In a Northern Ireland context the term Republican is taken to imply that the person gives tacit or actual support to the use of physical force by paramilitary groups with Nationalist aims. The main aim of Republicans being the establishment of a United (32 county) Ireland.
SDLP -- Social Democratic and Labour Party. A moderate Nationalist political party which supports the aim of a United Ireland, but only through non-violent means. The party attracts a lot of middle-class Catholic supporters and also some working-class support. John Hume was leader from 1979 to 2001 when he stepped down.
SF -- Sinn Féin, literally "Ourselves Alone." Largest Republican party in Northern Ireland, said to be the political manifestation of the IRA; led by Gerry Adams since 1983, who has always denied his membership in the IRA. The main support for the party is from working-class Catholics.
Stormont -- This term refers both to the Unionist controlled government of Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972 and also to the grand buildings in east Belfast in which the government sat between 1932 and 1972.
UDA - Ulster Defense Association. The largest of the Loyalist paramilitary groups. Formed in 1970 and not proscribed (declared illegal) until 1992. The UDA has used the cover-name of Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) to claim many sectarian killings.
UDP - Ulster Democratic Party. Loyalist political party which had links to the Ulster Defense Association (UDA) and the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF). Garry McMichael was the main spokesman for the party.
UFF - Ulster Freedom Fighters. A Loyalist paramilitary group. A cover-name used by the Ulster Defense Association (UDA).
UUP - Ulster Unionist Party. The largest of the Unionist parties, the Ulster Unionist Party mainly attracts middle-class Protestant support. The party has close links with the Orange Order. David Trimble has been leader of the UUP since 1995.
UVF - Ulster Volunteer Force. Also known as the Protestant Action Force (PAF), Protestant Action Group (PAG), and Red Hand Commando (RHC), this is the second largest of the Loyalist paramilitary groups after the UDA / UFF. The modern UVF was formed in 1965 and was responsible for the first bomb attacks during the current 'Troubles'. They are voiced politically by the PUP.
Unionist - In Northern Ireland the term is used to describe those who wish to see the union with Britain maintained. The majority of those people who are from the Protestant community are Unionist. It should be noted that not all Unionists support Loyalist (more militant) groups.
Understanding the Good Friday Agreement
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern shake hands in 1998 after signing the Good Friday Agreement.
The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement) was reached on Friday 10 April 1998 in Belfast. It sets out a plan for devolved government in Northern Ireland that all sections of the community in Northern Ireland would be prepared to participate in. It also provided for the establishment of Human Rights and Equality Commissions, the early release of terrorist prisoners from both sides of the community, the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons and far-reaching reforms of Criminal Justice and Policing in Northern Ireland. How well it has been implemented to date is a question under great debate. The Agreement proposed an inter-connected group of institutions that form three 'Strands' of relationships.
Strand One deals with relationships within Northern Ireland and created the Northern Ireland Assembly, its Executive and the consultative Civic Forum. Members of the Assembly are voted in by Proportional Representation and Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive are appointed according to party strengths in the Assembly. All important decisions must have the support of both sides of the community. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland suspended the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive on midnight, 14 October, 2002. This is still in effect. The Secretary of State, assisted by his team of Northern Ireland Office Ministers, has assumed responsibility for the direction and control of the eleven internal Northern Ireland Departments (agriculture, education, employment, etc.).
Strand Two deals with relationships between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) was established on 2 December 1999, under the terms of the GFA. It brings together Ministers from the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Irish Government, on a regular basis, to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both administrations. The NSMC oversees the work of six cross-border Implementation Bodies.
Strand Three deals with East-West relationships within the British Isles. A British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference was established to promote bilateral co-operation between the UK and Ireland. It replaces the Anglo-Irish Inter-Governmental Council and Conference set up under the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985. A new British-Irish Council was also created that incorporates members of all the devolved administrations within the UK and representatives of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands as well as the British and Irish Governments.
Other terms of the Agreement include people's right to call themselves either Irish or British, to learn Gaelic in schools, demilitarization by the British and decommissioning by the paramilitaries.
Sources: http://www.nio.gov.uk/issues/agreemain.htm
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/
http://www.historyonthenet.com/
Recent Elections Summary
European Parliament Elections
On June 10, 2004 elections for the European Parliament were held. There are 626 seats in the Parliament, 3 of which go to Northern Ireland. The leader in the polls was Jim Allister of the DUP, followed by Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun and then the UUP's Jim Nicholson. Nicholson was the only incumbent. The SDLP will not have an MEP now for the first time in recent memory.
This is the first time in history that Sinn Fein has obtained a seat in the Parliament. They now have two -- de Brun from Northern Ireland and Mary Lou McDonald from the Dublin section of the Republic of Ireland. The Republic holds 15 of the 626 seats in the Parliament. Since the last European Parliament Election in 1999, the Northern Ireland parties' poll percentages have changed as follows:
Sinn Fein = +8.98
Democratic Unionist Party = +3.6
Ulster Unionist Party = -1.01
Social Democratic and Labour Party = -12.1
Northern Ireland Assembly
At midnight, Monday, October 14, 2002, the Assembly was suspended by then Secretary of Northern Ireland, Peter Mandelson, MP. This suspension is still in effect, so the Assembly cannot call a session or function as a governing force. Despite this, elections for the 108-member body were held November 26, 2003, with the following results:
Party. . . . .Polling %. . . . .+/- %. . . . .Seats Held. . . . .+/- seats
DUP. . . . . .25.6% . . . . . .+7.5% . . . . .30 seats . . . . . .+10
SF . . . . . . 23.5% . . . . . .+5.9% . . . . . 24 seats . . . . . .+6
UUP . . . . .22.7% . . . . . .+1.4% . . . . .27 seats . . . . . .-1
SDLP . . . . 17.0% . . . . . .-5.0%. . . . . .18 seats . . . . . -6
APNI . . . . .3.7% . . . . . . .-2.8% . . . . . .6 seats . . . . . . .0
Other . . . . 7.5% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 seats
There are talks going on currently (June 2004) reviewing the situation, permissible according to the Good Friday Agreement, of the Assembly suspension. Britain's current Secretary of Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy, held these discussions with Northern Ireland's party leaders this week. Though they were put on hold for the European Parliament Elections, they are expected to resume shortly at Lancaster House in London, where Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (Republic of Ireland's leader) and Prime Minister Tony Blair (United Kingdom's leader) are expected to participate if it appears a workable solution can be reached in this attempt to restore the government of Northern Ireland.
Other Results
In both local and European Parliament elections, the Fianna Fail party took a beating in the Republic of Ireland. This government party dropped by nearly 10% in the polls and even leader Taoiseach Bertie Ahern conceded that they were the "losers" in recent elections, while Sinn Fein, in both the Republic and Northern Ireland were "major winners."
A referendum was also passed in these elections regarding Irish citizenship. It was overwhelmingly popular, 79% Yes to 21% No, to restrict citizenship in the Republic. The passing of this referendum means that children of non-Irish parents born in Ireland no longer have automatic rights to citizenship unless one parent has lived here for three of the last four years. Voter turnout on this referendum was unusually high -- nearly 60%.
The law applies to everyone, even the people of Northern Ireland, who previously had the right to Irish citizenship as part of the Good Friday Agreement. There is great concern over what it means that the Agreement can be altered like this. What might the next change be?
This referendum follows on the heels of a 2002 change in the law saying that people seeking Irish citizenship through marriage must have lived in the country for three of the last five years. The trend of increased restrictions on citizenship emerges from a country encountering modern immigration for the first time. For years, immigration was virtually non-existent due to the high level of violence and instability. Since the Good Friday Agreement however, both Northern Ireland and the Republic have become more desirable as immigration destinations.
Political Who's Who
David Trimble -- Ulster Unionist Party Leader
-elected as First Minister of the new Northern Ireland assembly in July 1998, with the nationalist Seamus Mallon as his deputy.
-broke with precedent to meet Sinn Fein leaders, but his insistence on full IRA decommissioning led republicans to accuse him of going back on the GFA.
-shared the Nobel Peace Prize with John Hume in October 1998; seen as recognition for holding his nerve and backing the GFA, despite unionist doubts.
Gerry Adams -- Sinn Fein Party President
-has been an elected MP more than once, but refused to take his seat and swear allegiance to the crown.
-denies ever being part of the IRA despite widespread belief and charges to the contrary.
-integral to the peace process, GFA talks and IRA decommissioning (or lack thereof, depending how you look at it).
John Hume -- Social Democratic and Labour Party Leader
-a relentless opponent of violence whether carried out by the IRA or loyalist paramilitaries.
-shared the Noble Peace Prize with David Trimble in October 1998; seen as the fruits of his tireless labour for peace at any price.
-helped found the SDLP; gave up his seat as an MP and turned over party leadership to Deputy First Minister Mark Durkam as politics took a toll on his health.
Reverend Ian Paisley -- Democratic Unionist Party Leader
-resisted any agreement (including AIA and GFA) which he believed would extend the influence of the Irish Republic into the affairs of Northern Ireland.
-former MP; seen as the most vocal and hard-line of the unionist politicians; opposed to the holding of political office by Sinn Fein members.
-opposed to the Catholic Church; critics blame his incendiary words for perpetuating sectarian violence.
