The Good Friday Agreement.

setup, a majority of Nationalists and Unionists is needed for all assembly choices. North-South bodies where also setup as well as a British-Irish council. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commision is also drafting a Bill Of Rights for N.Ireland. Decommissioning of weapons was also a term to the agreement, those accepting the agreement would do all in their power to bring about decommissioning by April 2000, Unions argued that this means that weapons should have been decommissioned by this date, whereas Sinn Fein argues that that doing all in their power doesn’t necessarily mean succeeding, small amounts of LVF weapons have been destroyed while Republicans have opened arm dumps for inspection – they see this as part of decommissioning. Demilitarization was also a term reached in the agreement, this meant the British Government would decrease the number of soldiers based in N.Ireland, and reducing some bases and checkpoints. Some Republicans think that more should have been done such as removal of army bases in Nationalist areas. A new police service was also setup – The Police Service Of Northern Ireland (PSNI) instead of the RUC. Police now wear a new uniform and badge, their aim was to equal amounts of catholic and protestant recruits in the PSNI. Unionists and Nationalists still have differing attitudes towards the agreement. Unionists thought that releasing the prisoners early undermined the victims and their relatives while the RUCs effort was being ignored. Unionists were also intimidated by the fact that they would be working with Sinn Fein in the assembly while they were still working towards a united Ireland. The reform of the police force was also resented by Unionists, as the RUC had withstood the force of the attacks during the troubles. There is also the fact that Unionists believe it hasn’t stopped anything, there is still a large amount of intimidation, beatings and paramilitary shootings, as well as decommissioning not occurred. There is also the fact that North-South bodies are viewed with suspicion. They also believe that the British Government may not act in their interests, while they feel they have done everything required under the agreement. Nationalists also have problems, Sinn Fein opposed the Northern Ireland Assembly, and they have now joined it. Unionists forced Sinn Fein out of the North-South bodies and forced transitory suspension of the executive in February 2000, Nationalists sense it could happen again. According to Nationalists, the reform of the police didn’t progress far enough. Nationalists also believe that they have done everything that is required of them under the agreement, and feel that it isn’t appreciated by the British Government or the Unionists. All these reasons meant that Nationalists and Unionists still have little confidence that the agreement will work. Matthew Stronge