UK: NORTHERN IRELAND: PEACE FORUM ELECTION: VOTING BEGINS

Описание: (30 May 1996) English/Nat

Voters have been going to the polls in Northern Ireland on Thursday to elect representatives to a new Forum.

The parties elected to the Forum will send negotiating teams to participate in the all party peace talks that start next month.

But unless the I-R-A (Irish Republican Army) guerillas call a new ceasefire, their political wing Sinn Fein, who are hoping to win a number of seats, will still be banned from the talks.

Northern Irish political leaders were out in force on Thursday casting their votes to send their members to a new forum which is the next step forward in the peace process.

These elections will pave the way to all party talks due to start next month but there are fears that this historic election will only attract a low turnout of voters.

But the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party had a strong message urging the Irish people to take the chance to shape the future of the province.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"My message to the people of Northern Ireland is to put your faith in the ballot and reject the bullet and bomb and until leaders of all parties bind themselves to accept the verdict of the ballot we cannot have peace in Northern Ireland."
SUPERCAPTION: Reverend Ian Paisley, Leader of Democratic Unionist Party

Despite years of violence in Northern Ireland many local people are unsure whether the elections are really the most effective way to move forward to talks to establish a lasting peace.

Any settlement would have to overcome decades of bitterness between the largely Roman Catholic nationalists who wish to join or increase links with the Irish Republic, and mainly Protestant unionists trying to maintain links with Britain.

A low turn out would lead to renewed criticism of the government from nationalists who vehemently opposed the election claiming it was merely to satisfy the Unionists.

Despite this Gerry Adams, President of the nationalist party Sinn Fein, is confident of winning votes. But unless the I-R-A call a new ceasefire Sinn Fein will remain banned from joining the all party talks.

However he appeared determined to be present next month when the talks kick off.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We only know that this election is that it gives parties a negotiating mandate. What happens on June 10th is a matter for June 10th. All I know is if we don't get any votes, we won't go near the talks venue."
SUPERCAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President

John Hume, leader of the moderate nationalist S-D-L-P, is also hoping for a large section of the vote which would provide an enormous boost to his party.

There has been speculation that Hume's party could challenge one of the main Unionist parties to top the poll.

And casting his vote in Londonderry the S-D-L-P leader appeared confident and relaxed.

David Trimble in Lisburn is fighting his first election as leader of the Ulster Unionists, admitted there had been a lack of enthusiasm for the election but said he believed the citizens of the province realised the importance of the vote.

The Ulster Unionist are the most prominent of the Unionist parties.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The results of this election will set the parameters within which the subsequent all party talks can operate."
SUPERCAPTION: David Trimble, Ulster Unionist Leader

A total of 110 members will be elected to the Forum, five from each of Ulster's 18 constituencies and a further two seats will go to each of the ten parties to receive the most votes across the province as a whole.


Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...