SECTION 11

THE PLAN FOR IRISH UNITY

Repartition is defined as the redrawing of the border to accommodate the wishes of a majority in the border areas for unity with the rest of Ireland, and to allow the remaining citizens to remain within the United Kingdom.

I believe repartition is a viable option for the North of Ireland, allowing the state of Northern Ireland to pass away and allowing the geographic area to be governed by direct rule from both London and Dublin separately. It is a viable option in its own right, but I believe that it is possible that the process of achieving it may lead to a united Ireland.

How will repartition bring about a united Ireland? I believe that once the majorities along the border indicate their willingness to leave the United Kingdom, then the whole house of cards may collapse and the unionist community may seek a new accommodation with the rest of Nationalist Ireland.

There are a number of steps involved in achieving a united Ireland. The first step will be the support of Derry City Council for a referendum in their area in favour of a new alliance with the Republic. It is anticipated that the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday, which is to report soon, will be interpreted to indicate that Derry people no longer see a role for themselves in the UK.

In a very real sense, the events of Bloody Sunday amounted to a de facto declaration of the intent of the British government to leave Derry city. The murders of fourteen unarmed civil rights marchers creates a division between the people of Derry and the British government that cannot be smoothed over except that the people of the city live as some kind of subordinates.

Once Derry City Council decides to pursue a path to Irish unity, then other councils with a Nationalist majority are anticipated to follow, until the entire border region is enveloped in a desire to leave the UK. It is anticipated that councils from Limavady Borough Council in the northwest to Down District Council in the southeast will hold referenda on the issue of repartition. It is anticipated that a line could be drawn from Limavady to Downpatrick to define the revised border.

At this point pressure will be brought to bear on the British Government to hold a referendum on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland in accordance with the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement in order to decide whether it should remain within the UK.

The referendum proposed in the SDLP manifesto for the November 2003 Assembly elections is the inspiration behind this plan, and as such it is anticipated that the support of all nationalists and a number of unionists will be sought in order to achieve a majority in favour of a united Ireland.

With the sword of Damocles of repartition held over the head of unionists, with the certainty that they will lose a significant part of their state even if they win the referendum, it is anticipated that the unionist community will be more amenable and open to the arguments for the reunification of Ireland.

This gives Nationalists the best opportunity of actually winning that referendum, and bringing about a new, united Ireland.

At worst, this plan frees large swathes of Northern Ireland, bringing many nationalists into the Republic and creating a more just and equitable border. At best, it creates a united Ireland.