The (Anglican) Church of Ireland leader Dr. Robin Eames has warned the two largest political parties in British-administered Northern Ireland not to let history judge them badly by refusing to engage in dialogue.
Speaking at his church's general synod, which took place May 10-12 in Dublin, Eames called on the Protestant-dominated Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland and Sinn Féin, the political wing of the Irish Republican Party, not to adopt stand-off positions.
The two parties gained support in the British general election of May 5 at the expense of two other parties seen as more moderate, triggering anxieties about the prospects of clinching a lasting peace in Northern Ireland.
"If two strong parties at either side of the political spectrum say 'we can do business' the strength of what will emerge will be much greater than if others had tried to do it," said Eames, whose title is Archbishop of Armagh and primate of all-Ireland.
The predominantly-Protestant Ulster Unionist Party, led by Nobel Peace Laureate David Trimble, was virtually annihilated in local and parliamentary elections held in Northern Ireland. The Social Democratic and Labour Party, which draws support from Roman Catholics, lost ground to Sinn Féin.
During his address, the archbishop said the Church of Ireland "must remember before God all who have been given political power and urge them to move the process of reconciliation forward.
History will not judge kindly a reluctance to use political power to make society on this island safer, more stable and just."
Eames said he was intrigued by the appointment of Kenyan-born, South African-raised former anti-apartheid activist Peter Hain as the British government's Secretary of State for both Northern Ireland and Wales. "I believe that the peace process is a full-time job. It remains to be seen whether the Secretary of State is able to devote sufficient time to Northern Ireland," he said.
Turning his attention to armed groups, the archbishop, leader of the largest Protestant denomination on the island of Ireland, stated, "It is increasingly obvious to everyone that probably the biggest obstacle to moving the whole political part of the peace process forward is what is to happen to those who have arms."
