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20 February 2015
The Good Friday Agreement

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A Farewell to arms? Decommissioning and the peace process

by Colin McInnes

From: A farewell to arms? From 'long war' to long peace in Northern Ireland edited by Michael Cox, Adrian Guelke and Fiona Stephen

Published by Manchester University Press, 2000

Decommissioning and the peace process (4)

The peace process can be usefully divided into a number of stages (see Table 6.1). This section examines the significance of decommissioning within each of these stages and traces the evolution of the key question of when decommissioning should occur. The first stage (from 1990 to the ceasefires of Autumn 1994) saw the beginnings of the process: the Brooke initiative, the Hume-Adams dialogue and the December 1993 Downing Street Declaration. Critically, the Downing Street Declaration offered Sinn Fein the possibility of entry into political discussions about the future of Northern Ireland provided IRA violence stopped and without explicit reference to the handing in of weapons. After a long period of 'clarification' throughout the first half of 1994, on 31 August the IRA declared a ceasefire, followed on 13 October by a similar announcement from the Combined Loyalist Military Command.

Table 6.1 Decommissioning and the peace process
Beginnings 1990-Autumn 1994 Decommissioning present but a background issue; focus is on obtaining ceasefires
The 'Washington Three' Autumn 1994 -November 1995 London and unionists favour 'prior decommissioning' ie participation in negotiations dependent on decommissioning Sinn Fein and IRA see this as equivalent to surrender
Twin Track Initiative and the Mitchell Report November 1995 -February 1996 Decommissioning to take place in parallel with talks on 'strands'. Talks participants must agree to 'Mitchell Principles' of democracy and non-violence. Modalities of decommissioning outlined
Breakdown February 1996-May 1997 Elections to Forum, end of IRA Ceasefire. Process moribund
Renewal May 1997-April 1998 New governments inject new life; second IRA ceasefire; Sinn Fein admitted to talks; decommissioning slips until after agreement; further work on modalities and establishment of Independent International Commission
The Good Friday Agreement April 1998-June 1999 Timetable to decommission; Drumcree and Omagh; linkage to other issues
'Parking the car' July 1999-May 2000 Good Friday Agreement 'frozen' over lack of decommissioning
'Starting up'? June 2000 - Executive re-established after compromise on decommissioning

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