Biden in Belfast to mark 25 years of Good Friday Agreement: The deal that ended 3 decades of bloodshed

Source: The post is based on the article “Biden in Belfast to mark 25 years of Good Friday Agreement: The deal that ended 3 decades of bloodshed” published in Indian Express on 13th April 2023

What is the News?

The US President is visiting Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

What is the Good Friday Agreement?

The Good Friday Agreement also known as the Belfast Agreement was signed on 10th April 1988.

It was a political deal designed to bring an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles.

What were the Troubles?

Northern Ireland was created in 1921 and remained part of the UK when the rest of Ireland became an independent state.

This created a split in the population between unionists, who wish to see Northern Ireland stay within the UK, and nationalists, who want it to become part of the Republic of Ireland.

From the late 1960s, armed groups from both sides, such as the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), carried out bombings and shootings – and British troops were sent to Northern Ireland.

The Troubles lasted almost 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people.

What does the agreement provide?

The agreement is based on the idea of cooperation between communities. It set up a new government for Northern Ireland, representing both nationalists and unionists.

The agreement says Northern Ireland is part of the UK and this can change only through a referendum – if most people in Northern Ireland want it to. People born in Northern Ireland can have Irish or British nationality or both.

As part of the agreement, armed groups agreed to dispose of their weapons. People who had been involved in violence were released from prison.