Greens in Northern Ireland challenge Executive's support for defence manafacturers in N.I.

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday March 13, 2003 09:20 by John Barry - Northern Ireland Green Party j.barry at qub dot ac dot uk 17 Killaire Ave, carnalea, Bangor Co Down 00447876597900

The Northern Ireland Executive's support for the rapid development of the defence industry is a breach of the spirit and letter of the Belfast Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998, according to the Green Party's John Barry, in South Belfast. The newly appointed leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, Queen's lecturer, Barry, says he will challenge the legality of the Northern Ireland Executive's support for such initiatives as the Northern Ireland Aerospace Consortium, if elected to the Assembly in the forthcoming elections. Barry believes that support for the development of the defence industry in Northern Ireland and the export of weapons systems is also incompatible with the 'Peace Process'.

The Northern Ireland Executive's support for the rapid development of the defence industry is a breach of the spirit and letter of the Belfast Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998, according to the Green Party's John Barry, in South Belfast.

The newly appointed leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, Queen's lecturer, Barry, says he will challenge the legality of the Northern Ireland Executive's support for such initiatives as the Northern Ireland Aerospace Consortium, if elected to the Assembly in the forthcoming elections. Barry believes that support for the development of the defence industry in Northern Ireland and the export of weapons systems is also incompatible with the 'Peace Process'.

Barry, who is an outspoken opponent of the Blair Government's support for the US-led "rush to war in Iraq", said at the weekend:

The Belfast Agreement, and the Northern Ireland Act 1998, is quite clear about the Executive authority of Ministers in the Northern Ireland administration.

i. The 'Declaration of Support' which prefaces the Belfast Agreement reaffirms the pro-Agreement Parties' 'total and absolute commitment to exclusively democratic and peaceful means of resolving differences on political issues, and our opposition to any use or threat of force by others for any political purpose, whether in regard to this agreement or otherwise' (Par. 4)'.
ii. Moreover, the Pledge of Office which each Northern Ireland Minister is obliged to make in order to assume Executive Authority, clearly commits office holders to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means' (Northern Ireland Act 1998 Part Three 16:10) (Annex A Belfast Agreement)'.

Clearly, Northern Ireland Ministers in general, and the Trade and Enterprise Minister in particular, with responsibility for Invest Northern Ireland, are prohibited from directly or indirectly offering support to any agents of war making - for defensive or offensive purposes. This would rule out support from Invest Northern Ireland for bodies such as the Northern Ireland Aerospace Consortium and its individual members insofar as they are engaged in facilitating 'any use or threat of force by others for political purpose' and breaches the Ministerial pledge to non-violence.

The Green Party notes that Invest Northern Ireland has actively sponsored the Northern Ireland defence industry's participation at the Paris and Farnborough Air Shows. The annual turnover of the NIAC's members amounts to £720 million, though not all of this revenue would come from defence-related work.

Patricia McKenna MEP has also spoken out against Northern Ireland's role in the defence industry. Speaking at an event to protest the activities of Raytheon Systems in Derry, she said: 'In Northern Ireland, Derry's political parties must find the backbone to publicly state their position on the development of an arms industry in the city. I believe that the vast majority of people in Derry will oppose the arms trade once they are clear about what is going on in this city.'

Contact Dr John Barry:
Tel. 07876597900

Belfast Agreement Annex A: Pledge of Office referred to in the Northern Ireland Act 1998

ANNEX A TO STRAND ONE OF BELFAST AGREEMENT
PLEDGE OF OFFICE

SCHEDULE 4
ANNEX A TO STRAND ONE OF BELFAST AGREEMENT
PLEDGE OF OFFICE
To pledge:
(a) to discharge in good faith all the duties of office;
(b) commitment to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means;
(c) to serve all the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the general obligations on government to promote equality and prevent discrimination;
(d) to participate with colleagues in the preparation of a programme for government;
(e) to operate within the framework of that programme when agreed within the Executive Committee and endorsed by the Assembly;
(f) to support, and act in accordance with, all decisions of the Executive Committee and Assembly;
(g) to comply with the Ministerial Code of Conduct.