GREYSTONES, IRELAND—The word “Brexit” has been thrown around in politics and the media since 2016, but it didn’t make any sense to me until I arrived in Ireland three weeks ago.
Brexit describes the plan of the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union. Because the United Kingdom includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all four countries would leave as a result. Although the majority of voters in both Scotland and Northern Ireland voted against the move, Wales and England are still pushing for it.
Being on this island, Brexit is talked about frequently by everyone, but no one knows what the solution is or what the future holds. Many eyes roll and heads shake as Irish residents try to understand what the politicians are doing. It was not until I saw this for myself that I understood the severity of the situation.
There are many concerns surrounding Brexit, but one main concern is the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. There has not been a hard border between the two countries since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, allowing people and goods to move freely from one country to another. Leaving the European Union would mean that Northern Ireland would no longer have free trade with the south, in addition to the reinstatement of a physical border.
A compromise is still in the works, but neither side can come to a full agreement. The deadline for the final decision has been pushed back several times but is currently set for Oct. 31.
Mimi Kelly, a professor at the Irish Bible Institute in Dublin, fears that Brexit being established — with or without a deal — will damage relations between the two countries, especially in regards to the border.
“If any type of physical border goes up, then the peace in the North will be compromised,” Kelly said. “Additionally, the North receives billions of pounds from the EU each year to sustain its social and civil services and that will stop. If people lose their jobs in the North, then unrest and violence may well occur.”
With the shadow of the Troubles still looming from only a few decades ago, no one wants to see bridges between the Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland being burned, but Kelly believes the country’s relationship will still face issues.
After seeing the scars left all over Northern Ireland from the previous conflict, I definitely think violence will return. Just this spring, a reporter named Lyra McKee was shot in a riot in Derry. Paramilitary groups are still alive in the north, which makes Brexit that much riskier. I hope and pray Brexit will not occur without a deal.
During the Troubles, then President Bill Clinton and Senator George Mitchell played huge roles in the peace talks and forming the Good Friday Agreement. America and the United Kingdom have been allies and partners for generations, but the possible split may cause friction between them.
The United Kingdom will no doubt face economic setbacks considering Northern Ireland alone costs billions to sustain.
What role will America play to offer stability in either the potential conflicts or the economic consequences? Our own politicians are divided on what our position should be. Our role as Christians though, at the very least, is to pray for these countries as they face difficult decisions.
