The violence which has been switched on can be switched off

The View

The situation in Northern Ireland today cries out for leadership capable of taking all the people forward together.

It has seemed to me that those on other parts of our islands do not fully understand the situation here in the North. Indeed, I wonder, how many of us here comprehend it? To have that full comprehension we would have to be capable of understanding the impact of history on the psyche of the people here – not just recent history – the ‘Troubles’ – but also more distant history.

History, of course, is viewed through the lens of our context and experience. The people here have many contexts, but two in particular: for unionists it is a context within which they are celebrating the centenary of the establishment of Northern Ireland as a separate entity but a completely integrated part of the United Kingdom. For nationalists the centenary is not something which they would choose to celebrate. For them it was the time when the island of Ireland was torn apart – when Ireland became the Free State, and the North became a hostile and difficult place for many nationalists – most of whom were Catholics – to live.

When I came here in 1976 I remember very clearly the sense that Catholics here looked towards Ireland for their identity, not Northern Ireland. That has changed over the decades and many people see themselves as being of Northern Ireland. Yet, we are still so divided within ourselves as a people. The reality is that most people in the rest of the United Kingdom really do not have any interest in us. For them the Good Friday Agreement solved our problems and we should just be getting on with it – whatever it is – the loss of loved family members in the ‘Troubles’ and of the ‘disappeared’, the ongoing disabilities caused by conflict-inflicted injuries, the brave attempts to build a united society and an economy which has some resilience and stability. For many in the Republic it seems to me that there is a not dissimilar view – that really Northern Ireland does not have much to offer the South, but does have the potential to cause further problems for the country.

When I have travelled across the world, particularly in the context of the development of police accountability, the single most often asked question has been ‘Why do Christians fight with one another in your country?’ Not an easy question to answer other than by saying that we are not divided in our Christianity, we are divided in our politics and our loyalties. Yet surely our Christianity should bind us together in the Lord whom we all confess.

Tension

We live in a strange situation here. Tension is often present: some of it localised and transient, but impactive. The frustrations of the endless lockdown and the experience of so many people that their jobs, their social lives, their community have become something of a distant memory, because that most sacred of ground – the meeting place between two (or more!) individuals has largely been closed to us all. In a society with the worst levels of ill-health in these islands, both mental and physical; alcoholism and the extensive prevalence of illegal drugs; the dreadful numbers of suicides; that sense of hope which is so fundamental to Christian belief has, for many, been extinguished.

It is in that context that the immediate issues: the fears of unionism generally of a united Ireland, of the loss of their political and civic identity is compounded by the regular talks of border polls, and by the complexities of the Northern Ireland Protocol which has placed a border through the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and England, Scotland and Wales, resonate with unionists in a way which is almost elemental. They have been misled too – told that there would be no Irish Sea border and that goods would move freely through the four countries of the United Kingdom, despite the fact that one country, Northern Ireland, is subject to European Union rules on the free movement of goods and services.

Rule

Then there is a further sub-context and it relates to the rule of law, that fundament of society which provides checks and balances for the government of a country. We have seen the complete disregard of Covid-19 rules applicable to the funeral of a leading IRA man, Bobby Storey, who was generally regarded as having directed IRA intelligence processes which facilitated and enabled the murder and destruction which was so much part of our lives for so long. That funeral was attended by deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, Gerry Adams and so many other leading politicians. This, at a time, when people were not able to attend the funerals of their dear friends, and sometimes even their families.

We have seen unilateral action by the British government in December 2020 with the threat to breach international law on the withdrawal treaty, and more recently in March 2021, the unilateral extension of the grace periods for a variety of products under the NI protocol, resulting in attendant outrage by the EU and discomfort and unease, at the very least from the Irish Government. It is imperative that governments are seen to act within the rule of law.

Quite suddenly since Good Friday, we have seen the outbreak of violence in some unionist areas. At a time when we have seen successful operations to combat loyalist organised crime, that street violence – which was so much part of life here – has suddenly been switched on again. Loyalist paramilitaries withdrew their support for the Good Friday Agreement just four weeks before it all started. They deny involvement. A carefully chosen attack on the peace wall at Lanark Way in West Belfast was calculated to bring republicans out too. The rioting was largely switched off following the sad death of Prince Philip. The PSNI response on the loyalist denial was carefully worded: “It’s our overall assessment that the violence that has taken place over the last few nights is not orchestrated by a group in the name of that group.” (emphasis added). Saying that there had been present on the streets people who could have connections to proscribed organisations, they said “We don’t believe it has been sanctioned and organised for peaceful protests” (emphasis added).

These have not been peaceful protests – over the weekend three families who were suspected of being Catholics were ordered out of their homes in Carrickfergus. So far, 88 police officers have been injured, vehicles burned and property destroyed. There are calls now for further protests, marches etc., – all in breach of the law.

The violence which has been switched on can be switched off – of that there is no doubt.  We need support for communities both sides of peace lines. If this does not happen there is a risk of escalating violence, leading to death, injury, economic damage and much hardship. In this Easter season we need again to find hope here in Northern Ireland.