The Northern Ireland peace process is in danger of breaking down. The Irish Republican Army's fierce resistance to surrendering any of its weapons has forced Protestant politicians to question the group's commitment to peace. In the absence of genuine good will between the parties to the conflict, gestures take on exaggerated importance. It is the IRA's turn to make a symbolic move to break the deadlock and save the peace.

The 1998 Good Friday peace agreement sets a May deadline for paramilitary groups to hand in the weapons they used during their bloody civil war. Protestant politicians demanded that the IRA begin "decommissioning" weapons by February if they were to continue sharing power with Catholics in a government for the province. Under the peace accord, Gen. John de Chastelain of Canada is monitoring the disarming process. His report, delivered at the end of last month, confirmed that he had had contact with the IRA, but that the group had turned over none of its weapons. The province's first minister, Mr. David Trimble, a Unionist and a Protestant, threatened to resign if that state of affairs continued. Fearing a complete breakdown of the peace process, Britain this week passed legislation that would suspend self-government and return the province to British rule.

The logic behind each of the positions is simple. The Unionists have backed away from their previous positions. They originally demanded complete disarmament by the IRA before they would form a government. Having abandoned that stance, and having seen Catholics benefit from the peace accord -- the IRA has been given seats in the new government and IRA prisoners have been released from jail -- they want to see a genuine commitment to peace.