Monday, May 03, 2021
Celebrations and arguments in Northern Ireland
Queen: Reconciliation cannot be taken for granted
The British province of Northern Ireland is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Elizabeth II also pays tribute to this historic date and the peace process. However, the Queen also stresses that steadfastness and commitment continue to be needed. The day is not a reason to celebrate for everyone.
On the 100th anniversary of Northern Ireland, Queen Elizabeth II recognized the efforts of many people for the peace process in the region. “It is clear that reconciliation, equality and mutual understanding cannot be taken for granted and require further sustained steadfastness and commitment,” the Queen wrote in a Today published message. The peace process in the region is the merit of a generation of politicians and people who had the courage and the vision to put reconciliation over division.
According to historians, May 3, 1921 is considered to be the birth of Northern Ireland. On that date, the law that manifested Northern Ireland’s secession from the rest of the Irish island came into force. Unlike Ireland, which split into an independent republic in 1922, Northern Ireland has remained British ever since. The question of whether the country should belong to the United Kingdom or reunite with the Republic of Ireland sparked decades of bloody civil war.
Increasing tension in the region
Most recently, tensions in the region increased again – among other things due to new rules for trade with Great Britain that were created by Brexit. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also paid tribute to the anniversary: ”It is important that we pause to reflect on the complex history of the past 100 years,” wrote Johnson on Twitter.
People in Northern Ireland, Ireland, the United Kingdom and around the world perceive the anniversary very differently. “While this is a moment for mutual reflection, it is also an important opportunity to celebrate Northern Ireland together and create a better and brighter future for all of its people.”
While the anniversary is an important event for the unionist camp in Northern Ireland, the republican-nationalist camp sees no reason to celebrate: its mostly Catholic supporters want reunification with the Republic of Ireland as quickly as possible and reject the union with Great Britain.
.