Cease Fire: Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement

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Cease Fire: Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement

Implementations

Cease Fire – 1997

The ceasefire was announced in July of 1997, there was no report of ceasefire violation that year and peace talks continued.

Cease Fire – 1998

Various groups violated the ceasefire in 1998. In January 1998, the peace talks nearly collapsed as the loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) admitted its involvement in the killings of three Catholics, and thus its violation of the ceasefire. Following this admission, the UFF called off its campaign against killings of Catholics.1 Talks continued and the parties reached a final settlement and signed a comprehensive peace agreement on 10 April 1998.

Following the peace agreement, the Loyalist Volunteer Force — a Protestant paramilitary group in Northern Ireland — announced an “unequivocal” ceasefire before the referendum and campaigned for a no vote.2 After the referendum that took place on 22 May 1998, the hardliner republican group named the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA), a breakaway faction of the IRA, exploded a bomb in the town of Omagh, 55 miles west of Belfast, on 15 August 1998. In the attack, 28 people were killed and more than 200 were wounded.3 Immediately after the bombing, the RIRA apologized and called for a ceasefire.4

In August, the Irish Republican Socialist Party affiliated with the paramilitary group Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) announced a ceasefire, and thus an end to its 23 years of violence. Nevertheless, the group continued to oppose the peace agreement signed in April.5 The ceasefire was held for the rest of the year.

  1. “Protestant militia admits it broke ceasefire in Northern Ireland,” Deutsche Presse-Agentur, January 23, 1998.
  2. “LVF Put Down Guns and Join ‘No’ Campaign,” Daily Record, May 16, 1998.
  3. “Bomb in Ulster, Exploding Among Shoppers, Kills 28,” New York Times, August 15, 1998.
  4. “Premiers Pray that Massacre Signals End of Troubles,” The Mirror, August 24, 1998.
  5. “Northern Ireland Terrorist Group Announces Ceasefire,” BBC, August 22, 1998.

Cease Fire – 1999

While sporadic violence was carried out against IRA members and by the IRA itself, the ceasefire held.

Cease Fire – 2000

Throughout the year, the major paramilitary groups from both sides respected the ceasefire. A dissident paramilitary group, the Continuity IRA, exploded a bomb at Mahon’s Hotel in Irvinestown on 7 February 2000.1 Splinter groups who opposed the peace agreement were posing a threat to the peace in Northern Ireland.2

  1. “Northern Ireland leaders condemn bomb attack, renew peace efforts,” Deutsche Presse-Agentur, February 7, 2000.
  2. “Two Arrested in Northern Ireland Bomb Attack,” Toronto Star, February 26, 2000.

Cease Fire – 2001

No ceasefire violation was reported.

Cease Fire – 2002

No ceasefire violation was reported.

Cease Fire – 2003

No ceasefire violation was reported.

Cease Fire – 2004

No ceasefire violation was reported in 2001. However, there was a report that the security official had found a bomb-making factory in Starbane and arrested four dissident Irish republican members.1 There was also a report that the British Army had diffused a bomb in November, which was believed to be implanted by the breakaway faction of the IRA.2

  1. “World Briefing Europe: Northern Ireland Police Report Bomb Factory,” New York Times, April 30, 2004.
  2. “World Briefing Europe: Northern Ireland: Bombs Defused,” New York Times, November 26, 2004.

Cease Fire – 2005

There were no reports of ceasefire.

Cease Fire – 2006

There were no reports of ceasefire.

Cease Fire – 2007

There were no reports of ceasefire.