DON'T LET THIS CHANCE PASS
Don't let this chance pass - it may not come again'
By Dan McGinn and Marie Foy
PRESIDENT Clinton used his keynote Waterfront address to urge the people of Northern Ireland not to allow the chances of permanent peace and political stability to slip away.
But he warned: "It may not come again in our lifetime." The people of the province have moved from the deep freeze of despair to the warm sunlight of peace. It was magic, he said, to see unfold the developing will for peace.
"America is with you," he said. "The entire world is with you."
Mr Clinton's first words were of thoughts for the families of the Swissair flight which crashed in Nova Scotia.
The President then thanked the party leaders and Assembly members he met earlier in the day, the Prime Minster and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
"This has been a magic thing to see unfold, this developing will for peace among the people of Northern Ireland," he told the gathering.
"Three years ago when Hillary and I were here I could see it in the eyes of the people in Belfast and Derry.
"We saw, as Seamus Mallon said, the morning light begin to dawn after Ireland's long darkness on Good Friday with the leaders' commitment to solve the problems with words, not weapons.
"It lit the whole sky a month later when you voted so overwhelmingly for the peace agreement. Now this Assembly is the living embodiment of the promise of that covenant.
"Together people and leaders are moving Northern Ireland from the deep freeze of despair to the warm sunlight of peace," he said.
"For 30 long years the Troubles took a terrible toll. Too many died, too many families grieved.
"Every family was denied the quiet blessings of a normal life in the constant fear that a simple trip to the store could be devastated by bombs and bullets, and the daily disruption of roadblocks and searches and the ominous presence of armed soliders always on patrol in neighbours demarcated by barbed wire, guarded by gates and 20-foot fences.
"No wonder this question was painted on a Belfast wall, 'Is there life before death?'. Now at last your answer is Yes."
The President continued: "From here on the destiny of Northern Ireland is in the hands of its people and its representatives. From farming to finance, education to health care, this new Assembly has the opportunity and the obligation to forge the future."
He added that Good Friday Agreement was expected to lead to greater investment.
"Courage and reconciliation were the heart of your commitment to peace. Now as you go forward courage and reconciliation must drive this Assembly in very specific ways," he said.
"To decommission the weapons of war that are obsolete in a Northern Ireland of peace.
"To move forward with the formation of an executive council. To adapt your police force so it enjoys the respect and confidence of all the people.
"To end street justice because defining crime, applying punishment and enforcing the law must be left to the people's elected representatives, the courts and the police.
"To pursue the early release of paramilitary prisoners whose organisations have truly abandoned violence and to help them find a productive, constructive place in society.
"To build a more just society where human rights are birth rights where every citizens receives equal protection and equal treatment under the law.'
Referring to the recent Omagh bombing, President Clinton told his audience there would be "hard roads ahead".
"The terror in Omagh was not the last bomb of the Troubles.
. "The question is not whether there will be more bombs or attempts to undo with violence the verdict of the ballot box. There may well be.
"The question is not whether tempers will flare and debates will be divisive. They certainly will be.
"The question is: how will you react to it all, to the violence? How will you deal with your differences and will the bad habits and brute forces of yesterday break your will for tomorrow's peace?"
By Dan McGinn and Marie Foy
PRESIDENT Clinton used his keynote Waterfront address to urge the people of Northern Ireland not to allow the chances of permanent peace and political stability to slip away.
But he warned: "It may not come again in our lifetime." The people of the province have moved from the deep freeze of despair to the warm sunlight of peace. It was magic, he said, to see unfold the developing will for peace.
"America is with you," he said. "The entire world is with you."
Mr Clinton's first words were of thoughts for the families of the Swissair flight which crashed in Nova Scotia.
The President then thanked the party leaders and Assembly members he met earlier in the day, the Prime Minster and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
"This has been a magic thing to see unfold, this developing will for peace among the people of Northern Ireland," he told the gathering.
"Three years ago when Hillary and I were here I could see it in the eyes of the people in Belfast and Derry.
"We saw, as Seamus Mallon said, the morning light begin to dawn after Ireland's long darkness on Good Friday with the leaders' commitment to solve the problems with words, not weapons.
"It lit the whole sky a month later when you voted so overwhelmingly for the peace agreement. Now this Assembly is the living embodiment of the promise of that covenant.
"Together people and leaders are moving Northern Ireland from the deep freeze of despair to the warm sunlight of peace," he said.
"For 30 long years the Troubles took a terrible toll. Too many died, too many families grieved.
"Every family was denied the quiet blessings of a normal life in the constant fear that a simple trip to the store could be devastated by bombs and bullets, and the daily disruption of roadblocks and searches and the ominous presence of armed soliders always on patrol in neighbours demarcated by barbed wire, guarded by gates and 20-foot fences.
"No wonder this question was painted on a Belfast wall, 'Is there life before death?'. Now at last your answer is Yes."
The President continued: "From here on the destiny of Northern Ireland is in the hands of its people and its representatives. From farming to finance, education to health care, this new Assembly has the opportunity and the obligation to forge the future."
He added that Good Friday Agreement was expected to lead to greater investment.
"Courage and reconciliation were the heart of your commitment to peace. Now as you go forward courage and reconciliation must drive this Assembly in very specific ways," he said.
"To decommission the weapons of war that are obsolete in a Northern Ireland of peace.
"To move forward with the formation of an executive council. To adapt your police force so it enjoys the respect and confidence of all the people.
"To end street justice because defining crime, applying punishment and enforcing the law must be left to the people's elected representatives, the courts and the police.
"To pursue the early release of paramilitary prisoners whose organisations have truly abandoned violence and to help them find a productive, constructive place in society.
"To build a more just society where human rights are birth rights where every citizens receives equal protection and equal treatment under the law.'
Referring to the recent Omagh bombing, President Clinton told his audience there would be "hard roads ahead".
"The terror in Omagh was not the last bomb of the Troubles.
. "The question is not whether there will be more bombs or attempts to undo with violence the verdict of the ballot box. There may well be.
"The question is not whether tempers will flare and debates will be divisive. They certainly will be.
"The question is: how will you react to it all, to the violence? How will you deal with your differences and will the bad habits and brute forces of yesterday break your will for tomorrow's peace?"
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0379
Published Date: 04-Sep-98
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