Northern Ireland held a watershed election on Thursday, with significant ramifications for the future of the territory, writes Shannon Ebrahim.
Northern Ireland held a watershed election on Thursday that was one of the most important in its history, with significant ramifications for the future of the territory. Sinn Fein, the party of Irish Republicanism, significantly increased its standing in the legislature to 27 seats as opposed to the Democratic Unionist Party's 28 seats.
The snap election was called as a result of the collapse of the power sharing government. While the last elections in Northern Ireland were held in 2016, important developments have taken place since then such as Brexit, and corruption scandals associated with the DUP, which have altered the balance of forces.
According to the Good Friday Agreement, the new Assembly must meet in a week, and within a further two weeks an executive must be in place with 1st and 2nd Deputy Ministers.
The problem is that none of the divisive issues which caused the collapse of the power sharing government have been addressed.
Sinn Fein contends that the DUP has failed to live up to its obligations under the Good Friday Agreement, has little interest in power sharing, has undermined institutions, and has shown disrespect for the Irish language and identity. Sinn Fein also insists that it will not accept Arlene Foster, current DUP leader until the report on alleged DUP corruption in the RHI scandal has been issued.
But the two sides will have to find a way of compromising yet again, otherwise the Northern Ireland Secretary would have to call another election which could mean the suspension of devolution and a return to direct rule from Westminster.
A return to direct rule may complicate the issue of holding a referendum on Northern Ireland’s reunification with the Republic of Ireland, which Sinn Fein likely intends calling for in the foreseeable future.
Continued devolved rule from Britain certainly does not seem to be in the economic interests of the people of Northern Ireland, considering that Brexit will mean an end to huge economic support from the European Union.
Between now and 2020, Northern Ireland’s regional economy was expected to benefit from Euro 3.5 billion worth of EU investment and funding. Understanding what Brexit would mean for Northern Ireland’s economy, a majority of voters in Northern Ireland across the political spectrum voted to remain in Europe. The DUP stood with the Tories on Brexit against the majority of the people in Northern Ireland.
Economic support will not be forthcoming from Britain, which intends to tighten its austerity measures which have already squeezed public spending in Northern Ireland, with severe social consequences.
Another potentially devastating consequence of Brexit for Northern Ireland is the possibility of Britain imposing a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Currently travel is free and unrestricted, but if checkpoints along the border were to be introduced, it will bring division and discontent.
The economies of the North and South are interlinked and interdependent, and at least 200,000 jobs in the Republic of Ireland depend directly and indirectly upon the Euro 1.2 billion of trade between the North and South each week. As Jerry Adams recently said, “Brexit brought into sharp focus the contradiction of partition at the heart of British politics.”
Sinn Fein believes that the current realities present an unprecedented strategic opportunity to make the argument for the end of partition.
Calling for reunification with Ireland makes sense. Not only has Britain treated Northern Ireland as a political backwater, and failed to fulfil its obligations as the guarantor of the Northern Ireland peace process, but it has continued to militarise the territory.
Jerry Adams has pointed out that the same powerful sections of the British security and military establishment that directed Britain’s dirty war in Northern Ireland and colluded with Unionist death squads, still exert a huge influence over British state policy.
If one is in any doubt about the draconian security establishment in Northern Ireland during the struggle against British imperial rule, one only has to refer to the statement made by South Africa’s Prime Minister BJ Vorster in 1963.
When introducing a new Coercion Bill, Vorster said he would have been willing to exchange all the legislation of that sort for one clause of the Northern Ireland Special Powers Act.
The history of the Republicans in Northern Ireland has been a perpetual struggle for equal political and economic rights. Catholics, nationalists and republicans have for decades been treated as second class citizens.
The long term strategic goal of Sinn Fein is to finally realise Irish reunification, and create a society that is equal for all. It seems that such a dream may be not far off given the new geo-political realignment which will likely see both Scotland and Northern Ireland calling for referendums which will finally break the yoke of imperial domination. This week's election has sent a clear message to the DUP and the British government that it is time to change their approach to Northern Ireland.
* Shannon Ebrahim is Independent Media's foreign editor.