Op-Ed: Hope and Fear in Northern Ireland

Three murders in Northern Ireland have brought both depression and hope. The killings of security personnel come against a background of escalating violence and threats by dissident republicans.

On the evening of Saturday Mar. 8, The Real IRA shot dead two British soldiers. Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, from Birmingham and Patrick Azimkar, 21, from London, died in an attack at the Massereene Army base, Antrim. The attack left two pizza deliverymen wounded. On Monday Mar. 9, the Continuity IRA shot and killed police constable Stephen Paul Carroll, 48, as he answered an emergency call in Craigavon, county Armagh. This is the first murder of a Northern Irish police officer since 1998. After the murder of Constable Carroll, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde, the head of the Northern Irish Police Force, held a press conference. The Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness flanked him. Sir Orde called it a "sad day" for Northern Ireland's police force and called the gunmen "criminal psychopaths." Importantly he said did not intend to over-react to the murders:

"I have no intention to ask the Army for routine military support, it's not necessary and it doesn't work.

Mr Robinson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, was equally determined not to be provoked. He said:

"This is a battle of wills between the political class and the evil gunmen - the political class will win.

Sinn Fein's Mr McGuinness, an IRA commander before the peace process and cease fire, was unequivocal in his condemnation of the gunmen:

"These people are traitors to the island of Ireland, they have betrayed the political desires, hopes and aspirations of all of the people who live on this island.

Politicians across the political spectrum condemned the murders. The UK’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, insisted there would be "no return to the old days." Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen called the gunmen "evil people." He said they would not stop the peace process. "Everybody is absolutely united. The peace process is unshakable." On Wednesday Mar. 11, representatives of Loyalists paramilitary groups gave assurances that they will not be provoked to return to violence. On the same day, thousands of people attended demonstrations across Northern Ireland in protest at the killings. That there are still Republican dissidents actively perusing a campaign of violence is depressing. But the Republican movement has a history of splits between those who will compromise and those who will not. If the gunmen's objective was to derail the Peace Process and reignite conflict and strife in the province, they have so far failed. The carefully judged reactions by all politicians show a maturity in the peace process that would seem incredible only a few years ago. Ireland has lived with a fragile peace for a decade now. Many have decided that peace and the opportunities it brings for the people of the island of Ireland are far more important than political dogma. Ironically, this dissident action is uniting Ireland as never before. An Ireland united in a shared vision of a peaceful, prosperous country, and united in a determination not to have that prize stolen at the last minute by short sited, inflexible dogmatists. There is no alternative.