Northern Ireland: getting rid of guns

In April, Northern Ireland's political parties signed the historic Belfast Agreement, ending almost thirty years of conflict. Yet, despite the overwhelming vote for peace by the people in May, violence has continued in an attempt to undermine the new political arrangements. There is a widespread public belief that physically removing weapons will end violence permanently. It is thus not surprising that the issue of the decommissioning of paramilitary arms is once again at the top of the political agenda.