Northern Ireland to resume self rule

BELFAST – Northern Ireland’s Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders, arch-foes during decades of sectarian conflict, launch a new power-sharing, home-rule government on Tuesday aiming to put a final end to violence.

Hardline Protestant cleric Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness will be sworn in as heads of the government in the British province that has been battling to cement political stability since a 1998 peace accord that largely ended 30 years of conflict that killed 3 600 people. Unlike previous, failed attempts at power-sharing, the leaders appear determined this time to make it work.”It is a special day because we are making a new beginning and I believe we’re starting on a road which will bring us back to peace and prosperity,” Paisley, who will be Northern Ireland’s first minister, said as he arrived at the imposing Stormont building in Belfast.McGuinness, who will be Paisley’s deputy, said it was a historic day.”What we’re going to see today is one of the mightiest leaps forward that this process has seen in almost 15 years,” he said.Gerry Adams, the leader of the mainly Catholic Sinn Fein, said the power-sharing agreement proved that dialogue and perseverance could bring results.”We’re going to change the political landscape from here out,” he said.”We are going to succeed”.British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who have guided the Northern Ireland peace process for the past decade, will watch the swearing-in ceremony.Blair, who plans to stand down as prime minister soon, sees the latest power-sharing deal between the Protestant majority and Catholic minority as one of the main achievements of his 10 years in power after previous deals proved short-lived.British Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, who signed an order on Monday transferring local government powers from London back to the province, praised the leaders’ determination.”Given that until literally a few weeks ago they’d never even passed a word between each other…the personal chemistry between them is very good,” Hain told BBC radio.Nampa-ReutersUnlike previous, failed attempts at power-sharing, the leaders appear determined this time to make it work.”It is a special day because we are making a new beginning and I believe we’re starting on a road which will bring us back to peace and prosperity,” Paisley, who will be Northern Ireland’s first minister, said as he arrived at the imposing Stormont building in Belfast.McGuinness, who will be Paisley’s deputy, said it was a historic day.”What we’re going to see today is one of the mightiest leaps forward that this process has seen in almost 15 years,” he said.Gerry Adams, the leader of the mainly Catholic Sinn Fein, said the power-sharing agreement proved that dialogue and perseverance could bring results.”We’re going to change the political landscape from here out,” he said.”We are going to succeed”.British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who have guided the Northern Ireland peace process for the past decade, will watch the swearing-in ceremony.Blair, who plans to stand down as prime minister soon, sees the latest power-sharing deal between the Protestant majority and Catholic minority as one of the main achievements of his 10 years in power after previous deals proved short-lived.British Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, who signed an order on Monday transferring local government powers from London back to the province, praised the leaders’ determination.”Given that until literally a few weeks ago they’d never even passed a word between each other…the personal chemistry between them is very good,” Hain told BBC radio.Nampa-Reuters