- Gerry Adams, leader of Sinn Fien - the 2nd largest party in Northern Ireland, was released without charges after being in police custody for 4 days.
- He was charged with involvement in murder of a suspected spy in front of her own children in 1972 by the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
- He clearly refused any involvement in the same, and said that the allegations made in the Boston Tapes were based on hearsay and stand discredited in the court. He also said that while he was involved in the IRA, he was never its member.
- Adams, who is the main anchor of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement of 1998, said that his party was committed to the peace process and policing the dispensation part of it and that his arrest would not derail the process.
- The Belfast Good Friday Agreement brought to end “Troubles” - the 30-yr old violent conflict over the constitutional status of Northern Ireland, and the arrest of Adams had perpetuated a fear of its backlash as there is still a separation between the Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.
- The difficulty lies in addressing the legacy of hate and the demand for retributive justice from people who have lost their loved ones. However, settling of scores would only lead to reopening of old wounds which would again threaten the peace keeping process itself.
- Difference in political opinions on the nature of resolutions has resulted in the Haas Proposals under which limited immunity will be provided to ex-paramilitaries and former British security service operatives, provided both sides agree to the proposals. However the British has not yet signed up to this.
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/committed-to-peace-process-says-adams/article5980523.ece
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