Is N.I. finally progressing?

As I was eating my lunch today, breaking news came on TV about how the IMO (Independent Monitoring Commission) today stated that the IRA's army council now serves "no function". This, I feel, is fantastic news - basically now implying that the leadership of the IRA is disbanding. Of course, Unionists aren't entirely convinced - the leader of the DUP, Peter Robinson, said today that he wants clear confirmation that they're out for good, rather than just having the IMO say so. Gordon Brown, the UK PM, is now making sure that the final stages of devolution (policing and justice) will take place within the next few days, and to see the peace process completely finished off.

Of course, being Northern Irish, I must be sceptical of what Brown said, but after seeing McGuinness and Paisley shake hands last year and start off a brand new Assembly, I'm ready to believe anything politically within the means of this country (within reason, of course). If the peace process is finalised this week, I'm sure a lot of people will think, "about time too". And, they're right. What were people REALLY fighting for, for so many years? Rather than people joining together to celebrate being NORTHERN Ireland, they had to fight over who it belonged to, and if you were Catholic or Protestant. That's a big generalization on my part, but that's basically what it was about. But, of course, our current assembly isn't without fault - Sinn Fein are threatening to pull out of the Assembly if no clear signs of progress are shown within the policing and justice devolution. And, of course there was the fantastic and hilarious comments by Iris Robinson regarding homosexuality: calling it an "abomination" and that homosexuals should seek "mental help" and how it helped people she knew who were homosexual into straight people - this of course reminds me of the classic South Park episode were Butters goes to a Christian Prayer camp, to "pray the gay away"...where parents sent their children who were obviously gay, or bi, or curious...and in the episode you seen many suicides of children, and kids who were obviously very indoctrinated, and pretending to be straight again. But, rather that than people blowing each other up, I guess.

Still, human rights has a LONG way to go in Northern Ireland; people are bored of religious bigotry (well, most), so now it's racism and homophobia. GREAT! It's not just a issue in NI, obviously. But, you'd think that a country who has experienced 30+ years of intense religious bigotry and violence, that the people would rather live in some form of peace and harmony? Obviously not. Society is changing; and I'm excited to be a part of this great change...soon I feel we will come to an era of all-acceptance of people, rather than looking at them for what they are, we look at them for WHO they are, a human being with a personality based on their environment and their upbringing. Everyone is a product of what came before them; i.e. their parents - so I just hope my generation when they become parents (or are parents already) set our children a good example - but, one can dream, eh?

Iain