The beginning of the end of the GFA

[factual]

By allowing an All Ireland referendum on unity. Free from British threats of car bombs in Dublin (see Mo Mowlam 1998).
All the Nationalist parties throughout the island could call for a Yes vote (as they currently pay lip service to).
The Unionists could call for a No vote. The biggest vote wins.
Quite simple. If it's a Yes vote the British must accept this, and make provisions to leave via a declaration of intent to withdraw, and a date, as they did in Hong Kong.
If the majority of the island vote No, I too will accept this, and emigrate to Mexico or as far and exotic as possible, but there must be no British interference in the referendum.
The British left Hong Kong, despite the majority of those living in Hong Kong wishing to keep the Union incidentally.

We have had a referendum on the way that a UI is to be brought about. You lost that. Sinn Féin strategy is to win the argument given the framework that was agreed in all party talks and that was endorsed by referendum.

[Truth.ie]

My point though is not that a party cannot adopt a minority position but that in a democracy the majorty position must be respected.

But your party did NOT respect the majority decision of 1922, and still hasn't, publicly anyway. In fact some of your members still talk of "Free Staters" and "6 counties" despite recognising the legitimacy of both states.

[Aindriu]

By allowing an All Ireland referendum on unity. Free from British threats of car bombs in Dublin (see Mo Mowlam 1998).
All the Nationalist parties throughout the island could call for a Yes vote (as they currently pay lip service to).
The Unionists could call for a No vote. The biggest vote wins.
Quite simple. If it's a Yes vote the British must accept this, and make provisions to leave via a declaration of intent to withdraw, and a date, as they did in Hong Kong.
If the majority of the island vote No, I too will accept this, and emigrate to Mexico or as far and exotic as possible, but there must be no British interference in the referendum.
The British left Hong Kong, despite the majority of those living in Hong Kong wishing to keep the Union incidentally.

The British left Hong Kong because they only had a 99 year lease from China for the territory and the lease expired. There is no lease over their tenure of the north unfortunately.

[Truth.ie]

We have had a referendum on the way that a UI is to be brought about. You lost that. Sinn Féin strategy is to win the argument given the framework that was agreed in all party talks and that was endorsed by referendum.

I must have missed that referendum, because a United Ireland was'nt even mentioned in the pre GFA talks.In fact it was a Unionist pre-condition that Unity was not to be on the table. Before even entering discussions, Nationalists had to first accept the legitimacy of the 6 County statelet.

[Tiernanator]

You presume minority support for partition on the island.

HanleyS if there was no threat of violence the majority of people in the republic would gladly welcome the north. Maybe not at this time because of the worldwide recession,they probably couldn't afford the north now but just after the GFA there was an awful lot of goodwill towards the north and towards the idea of agreed unification. Partition is not good for Ireland. If you lived like I do on the border you would see how ridiculous the whole thing is.

I am not fixed on the idea of a unitary state but I do feel that northern nationalists have an absolute right to be part of the Irish body politic. This right has been half-heartedly guaranteed by the GFA but I think over time and with a lot of goodwill there could be a consolidation of the rights of northern nationalists as full Irish citizens. I hold an Irish passport and am therefore an Irish citizen, yet I have no real say in the body politic of my country. I do not resent or resist the rights of northern unionists to maintain strong links with Britain but I seek to have my rights as an Irish citizen recognised.

I think in essence these rights which have already been guaranteed by GFA need to be strengthened and this may move the political agenda forward. Issues like the Irish Language Act while appearing unimportant to outsiders are symbols that respect for both cultures in the north is real and ongoing. Blocking tactics by some unionists make it so easy for anti-GFA militarists within republicanism to say that nothing has changed.

Just one last point. Over the past number of years I and others have felt that we are being pressurised to conform to the status of being northern Irish and supporting the statelet of northern Ireland. While I will do or say nothing that will see it collapse by violent means I have no interest in it's continuance as a viable state. I long for it's demise and pray for the day it does not exist. No one can make me feel British or quasi-British northern Irish. I feel Irish. I am Irish.

[jdaly]

Please enlighten us as to who 'promised' a United Ireland by 2016.

The old fella, Mitchell Mcloughlin, from Derry and I'd have thought he had more sense.

[factual]

I must have missed that referendum, because a United Ireland was'nt even mentioned in the pre GFA talks.In fact it was a Unionist pre-condition that Unity was not to be on the table. Before even entering discussions, Nationalists had to first accept the legitimacy of the 6 County statelet.

Then you were not paying attention. A framework for getting to a United Ireland actually was very much part of the all party talks and was contained in the GFA which was supported by referendum. You lost that.

[factual]

HanleyS if there was no threat of violence the majority of people in the republic would gladly welcome the north. Maybe not at this time because of the worldwide recession,they probably couldn't afford the north now but just after the GFA there was an awful lot of goodwill towards the north and towards the idea of agreed unification. Partition is not good for Ireland. If you lived like I do on the border you would see how ridiculous the whole thing is.

I am not fixed on the idea of a unitary state but I do feel that northern nationalists have an absolute right to be part of the Irish body politic. This right has been half-heartedly guaranteed by the GFA but I think over time and with a lot of goodwill there could be a consolidation of the rights of northern nationalists as full Irish citizens. I hold an Irish passport and am therefore an Irish citizen, yet I have no real say in the body politic of my country. I do not resent or resist the rights of northern unionists to maintain strong links with Britain but I seek to have my rights as an Irish citizen recognised.

I think in essence these rights which have already been guaranteed by GFA need to be strengthened and this may move the political agenda forward. Issues like the Irish Language Act while appearing unimportant to outsiders are symbols that respect for both cultures in the north is real and ongoing. Blocking tactics by some unionists make it so easy for anti-GFA militarists within republicanism to say that nothing has changed.

I think people here would support a UI only if it was supported by a majority of the folks up there in the six counties. That's the position in the GFA.

[Aindriu]

I think people here would support a UI only if it was supported by a majority of the folks up there in the six counties. That's the position in the GFA.

Correct. The last thing we want is loyalist eejits running around with guns and bombs all over the island.

[factual]

A warning.

Six county nationalists used to and still do have a lot of sympathy. But that sympathy can be lost if violence is seen to be used for wrong reason. Remember the OO thought they should walk Garvaghy. But they used violence which damaged them.