Good Friday Agreement 20 years old tomorrow

Started by Rossfan, April 09, 2018, 06:26:27 PM

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Rossfan

Signed on 10th April 1998.
Thoughts?
Not perfect but better than the previous 30/76 years.
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

Cunny Funt

Quote from: Rossfan on April 09, 2018, 06:26:27 PM
Signed on 10th April 1998.
Thoughts?
Not perfect but better than the previous 30/76 years.
Feels like yesterday i am getting old.

full moon

I enjoyed Patrick Kieltys documentary on it on BBC worth a watch. The big difference is there is not the level of violence but there has been no truth and reconciliation, victims and families no answers and the division still there.


seafoid

The South benefited more from it than the North because the end of violence advantaged the entity with the power to leverage the effect. NI is still economically disadvantaged.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

TabClear

There was an interesting comparison on the GFA getting signed and the current impasse at Stormont debated on the radio yesterday. I think they had one of Tony Blair's advisers from the original deal on. His view was that in the GFA they had to deal with much tougher, divisive issues like prisoner release etc. Because the stakes were so high all the major players, who had been steeped in the harsh realities of the troubles and who's personal histories were well known (and gave them credibility to an extent to the hardliners on both sides), knew compromises had to be made and so deals were done. He contrasted this to today's politicans who in general have probably lived a large portion of their adult lives in relative peace. And as such they are unwilling to compromise on what would be perceived as smaller issues like the Irish language act, historic inquiry etc. Not sure I totally agree but what was clear is that if the shower of fcukwits we have in office  now had been there 20 years ago God knows what would have happened.


Dire Ear

Nationalists have moved on a bit and are more open;  unionists haven't and aren't.

haranguerer

The narrative being peddled (largely by unionists) that its not great is absolute crap.

This place is unrecognisable from that 20 years ago, the GFA has been great. There are still issues in our society, but that's to be expected, especially given the history, and we're going in the right direction


trailer

There has certainly been a huge change from 20 years ago, and the peaceful society we now live in is something to be celebrated. In a weird way I feel Unionism as in the parties perhaps do hark back for an old NI of majority rule, but I have to say ordinary everyday unionists (protestants) don't seem to. Nats and Unionists work together, do business with each other and socialise with each other. This is some change from say 30-40 years ago.
There is room for everyone and all traditions in NI and even in new Ireland.
Some people - on both sides - do have an old entrenched view, but this is slowly being eroded thankfully.

We should all be thankful for people like John Hume who's vision made it possible.

As a footnote, I am disappointed that 20 years on we don't have an assembly and that decisions affecting us here are not been taken locally by locally elected politicians.

Rossfan

Stop their pay until an Executive is re established and the Assembly is up and running.
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

Hereiam

What has the nationalist side really gained from the GFA
- We are still being dictated to by protestants in our own land
- We have loyalist terror groups acting freely and receiving large sums of money through bullshit community groups
  (can be said for both sides)
- We have politicians lining their own coffers and doing nothing for us (Both sides)
- We have no GAA stadium at the maze
- We have no GAA stadium at casement park
- Windsor park got developed even with a major fcuk up by the contractor which put lives at risk (never has been
  mentioned since)
- We have no Irish language act
- The south gave up it rights on the North
- We have no A5 dual carriageway between Derry & Auchnacloy. 10+ lives have been lost on this stretch of road since
   the GFA was signed
- We have seen very little investment in the west of the province in general
- We are still living a poorer standard of life compared to the rest of the UK and Ireland

The major outcome of the GFA was to get the gun out of politics and it has done that but in doing so it has not brought about the changes that i thought it would but in fact has left this place hanging over a cliff edge and brexit might be the push that will see us go over.

Milltown Row2

Quote from: Hereiam on April 10, 2018, 10:18:06 AM
What has the nationalist side really gained from the GFA
- We are still being dictated to by protestants in our own land
- We have loyalist terror groups acting freely and receiving large sums of money through bullshit community groups
  (can be said for both sides)
- We have politicians lining their own coffers and doing nothing for us (Both sides)
- We have no GAA stadium at the maze
- We have no GAA stadium at casement park
- Windsor park got developed even with a major fcuk up by the contractor which put lives at risk (never has been
  mentioned since)
- We have no Irish language act
- The south gave up it rights on the North
- We have no A5 dual carriageway between Derry & Auchnacloy. 10+ lives have been lost on this stretch of road since
   the GFA was signed
- We have seen very little investment in the west of the province in general
- We are still living a poorer standard of life compared to the rest of the UK and Ireland

The major outcome of the GFA was to get the gun out of politics and it has done that but in doing so it has not brought about the changes that i thought it would but in fact has left this place hanging over a cliff edge and brexit might be the push that will see us go over.

Where you around during the 70's? maybe even the 80's? I for one can see massive changes to the Belfast I grew up in..

No army foot patrols
no house raids
no one going into the local pub to murder people as they have a pint
the bombing has stopped along with the random daily bomb scares which stopped Belfast traffic for hours and hours
no more checking you bags as you went into shops in town and police are not locking up the town centre at night..

Belfast city centre bars and restaurants are packed out
the city is building hotels instead of blowing them up
we've a booming tourism trade going on with cruise liners coming in with people from all over the world
we are also presenting big sporting/music events in Belfast, that never happened, as during the 'war' the big names never came, in fact rugby teams didn't even come here for a period..

I could go on, yes there may not be a Irish language act, there is still intrench views the government isn't really working out..
Politicians have been lining their pockets for years so don't get me started on that and long before any problems were here
Infrastructure is better, roads have been improved, very slowly compared to the south but its getting there..

The south gave up on us years ago, again don't get me started on that one..
Terror groups are lining their pockets? shocker, Its a hundred times better than going into every local business and demanding money off them or they will burn down their shop..
poorer standard of living, yes, but it's a hundred times better than the standard that I seen growing up..

A lot of negatives for sure but by Christ I'm glad my kids are growing up in a place that is not even close to the times I grew up
Its not a perfect peace, and there are a lot of things to iron out as they say, but personally I'm happy to live here now than I was say 25 years ago
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

armaghniac

Quote- We have politicians lining their own coffers and doing nothing for us (Both sides)

We have no GAA stadium at casement park

These are not entirely the fault of the GFA. The GAA in particular is significantly responsible for the c**k up at Casement
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

Rossfan

Any country anywhere where politicians aren't looking after their coffers?
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

Orior

The GFA is a good and right for the occupied six.

The problem is with the politicians/leaders whose job it is to continue to abide by it - that means the majority of unionists and republican dissidents.
Cover me in chocolate and feed me to the lesbians

Hereiam

Quote from: armaghniac on April 10, 2018, 11:00:01 AM
Quote- We have politicians lining their own coffers and doing nothing for us (Both sides)

We have no GAA stadium at casement park

These are not entirely the fault of the GFA. The GAA in particular is significantly responsible for the c**k up at Casement

I can guarantee you its a policy with the unionists that no new GAA Stadium will be built in Belfast and also that no road will link Derry with the south of Ireland