Making History...

As you know, Northern Ireland has had some major problems over the years. The deep divides between Catholics and Protestants goes back centuries but the wounds are extremely fresh. You have to remember that many areas in Northern Ireland are still deeply divided and hatred can been seen in large murals painted on the sides of homes and in the large wall that divides Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods in Belfast. Today, however, was a major step forward for a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. As Tony Blair put it, today was a day to "escape the heavy chains of history" and to "make history anew". Today the Northern Assembly (or Parliament) was restarted. This "devolved government" is still under the watchful eye of England, still a part of the United Kingdom (The rest of Ireland is a free republic), but is made up of a power sharing coalition. Representatives of the Protestant party (the DUP) and the Catholic party (Sinn Féin) who once swore never to sit down together have now entered into a partnership that promises peace and equal treatment under the law. This latest step is just one of many over the past few years. In recent times militia groups on both sides (including the IRA) have destroyed or laid down their weapons in the hopes of peace.

Will this peace last? Only time will tell... but as long as these parties can work together the people of Northern Ireland will have a government of their own.