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Anti-Empire
The Saker Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Public InquiryInterested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
Human Rights in IrelandIndymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
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The ABC of hatred national |
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news report
 Tuesday June 18, 2002 05:10 by MC XTRA
 The prevailing media commentary pursued the characterisation of trouble in the Short Strand as emanating from 'two rival gangs' in which, once peaceful but now inexplicably hostile, neighbours were attacking each other's houses. It was a lie, but given the prevailing standards of journalistic endeavour, it was a plausible lie Understanding sectarianism in the North of Ireland is as easy as ABC. Within the prevailing discourse, sectarian hatred is often portrayed as the inexplicable in the hands of the indefensible. It is deemed outside civic society, a 'beyond the pale' barbarity left over from another era. Sectarianism is most often associated with the notions of two rival gangs, involving street brawling and disaffected youth. In such a model, support for the police, even a discredited and largely unreformed body like the PSNI, appears to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. But there are three fundamental problems with this working hypothesis. First, sectarian violence is not reciprocal gang warfare; it is the means by which one group imposes its perceived superiority over the other. Second, it does not exist outside this state but rather it can be found at the very heart of the northern state's political and civic agencies. Third, within the specific power relations within the north of Ireland, anti-Catholic sectarianism simultaneously includes a religious, political and racial dimension. The Irish, the Taigs and the Fenians are one and the same when it comes to loyalist aggression. And if anyone doubts this, then all they need to consider are the events of last week. The Short Strand is a collection of no more than 14 streets with a population of around 3,000 nationalists surrounded by a Protestant population of 60,000. In recent weeks, it has been the focus of media attention, following a sustained loyalist onslaught against the area. The prevailing media commentary had pursued the characterisation of trouble in the Short Strand as emanating from 'two rival gangs' in which, once peaceful but now inexplicably hostile, neighbours were attacking each other's houses. It was a lie, but given the prevailing standards of journalistic endeavour, it was a plausible lie. In fact, the Protestant residents of Cluan Place had not attacked their Catholic neighbours. They had been 'evacuated' by a loyalist mob prior to an orchestrated sectarian attack against the nationalist community. The Catholic residents of Clandeboye, who were bombarded with bricks and bottles, fireworks packed with shrapnel and petrol bombs by masked loyalists, did not attack their Protestant neighbours. Any reciprocal violence was directed against their loyalist assailants who had occupied the Cluan area and were launching the attack. Even at the height of the loyalist bombardment, a Catholic woman whose house had been repeatedly stoned and petrol bombed, Maggie McDowell, could still empathise with her Protestant neighbours. "The homes of those poor people must be wrecked," said Maggie, "because the loyalists are throwing floor and wall tiles at us. And where else are they getting them?" But within the mainstream media, few were listening to the words of Maggie McDowell and her community. In line with their 'two rival gangs' model, Maggie was just another mindless hooligan in disguise. But two subsequent events were set to dispute their vision. The first took place on Wednesday, when loyalists attacked a funeral at St Matthew's Catholic Chapel. The second occurred on Friday morning at a nearby college. The Tower Street campus of the Belfast Institute of Higher Education is located in the predominantly loyalist east of the city and a short distance from the nationalist enclave of Short Strand. Shortly before midday on Friday, 7 June, a 100-strong masked loyalist mob forced its way into the Campus complex and confronted the college's students. One female Catholic student said that fellow students had tried to protect her. "Caroline, you've got to get out of here," they had warned. "We looked out of the window and there was a crowd of men with masks and a banner saying 'No Short Strand nationalists or republicans in East Belfast'." Those students who were unable to produce identification evidence of their name and home address were locked in a room and interrogated by members of the mob. Any Catholic students, they were told, would be shot dead. "They came into the hall and grabbed our friend and started shouting at her, "What's your name?" "Are you a Catholic or a Protestant?" and "If you're a Catholic you're going to be shot." A masked loyalist pushed the girl against the wall and told her to pronounce the letter 'H'. Another student was ordered to recite 'ABC'. Differences in pronunciation, the loyalists believed, would be sufficient to identify any Catholics within the room. In the event, no Catholics were killed but they were terrorised. Following the attack, the college has been forced into premature closure for the summer holidays, while outstanding exams have been relocated to other campuses. In the autumn, it is unlikely that any Catholic students will return. "I can't stop crying. I want to finish my course but I'm too afraid to go back," said a student. Two days earlier, a loyalist mob of around 300 had attacked a Catholic funeral as it was taking place in the Short Strand's local church, St Matthew's Chapel. Leo O'Neill and his brothers were carrying their mother's coffin in the chapel grounds when the attack began. Jean O'Neill had died suddenly and prematurely of cancer at the age of 54. A family already grief stricken at the untimely loss of a mother became the target of loyalist aggression. "As we reached the door of the church we saw a large number of masked loyalists with banners coming towards us," a distraught son told the press. The mourners fled into the chapel and locked the doors as bricks and stones rained down on the cortege. One brick bounced off the coffin as it was hurriedly carried into the church. Inside, the mourners were unable to hear the funeral Mass above the commotion of the continuing loyalist bombardment outside. Children among the congregation cried and sobbed in fear and distress. The family were forced to take the coffin out by a back door. In a blatant distortion of the truth, DUP Assembly member Sammy Wilson subsequently criticised the PSNI/RUC for failing "to remove the republican mob from the chapel grounds." Within the last week, the Catholic community of Short Strand has been prevented by loyalist lynch mobs from attending the local post office, collecting prescriptions from the local chemist and seeking medical attention at the nearby doctor's surgery. Shopkeepers, who have been ordered not to serve Catholics, are too afraid to defy the mob. As a consequence, families have been unable to collect their welfare, mothers have been unable to collect baby food from the clinic, and the sick and elderly have been denied medical access. Catholic children are too afraid to wear their school uniforms, Catholic families are too afraid to sleep in their homes at night. A number of Catholic workers have been intimidated into leaving their jobs. A number of Catholic churches and schools have been torched. Loyalists have marched behind banners demanding "Taigs Out" and sectarian graffiti has appeared on walls. "No Short Strand Taigs on our road" and underneath the warning "At your own risk" the threat's date of issue is also recorded, "31-5-02". And what has the First Minister to say of this sorry state of affairs? "I don't want any excuses. I don't want any lies. The truth of the matter is that what we have seen in East Belfast in recent weeks is simple, naked aggression," a suitably irate David Trimble spoke into camera. But incredibly, his outrage was not directed against loyalists currently besieging the Short Strand. These are the mealy-mouthed words of a former lawyer and a politician unwilling to acknowledge that his career and political agenda is embedded in the sectarian violence of others. "It is absolutely clear that leading members of Sinn Féin/IRA have been publicly involved in agitation leading to serious disorder on our streets," said the First Minister. Inadvertently evoking the notorious sectarian ballad 'The Sash', Trimble claimed republicans were "up to their necks" in organising rioting and he demanded immediate sanctions be imposed on Sinn Féin. And Trimble wasn't alone. Fellow Ulster Unionist Chris McGimpsey criticised the election of Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey as Belfast Mayor. While republicans were behaving aggressively, said McGimpsey, the election of Maskey proved that Sinn Féin now believed itself to be beyond sanction. Meanwhile, David Ervine of PUP was labelling the political representatives of the nationalist community 'corporate liars'. Accusing the people of the Short Strand of 'ethnic cleansing', Ervine insisted that violence had been orchestrated by republicans. And on a further sinister note, referring to loyalists who had been injured during the siege, Ervine said loyalists saw themselves as "five-nil down" and warned that they would want to "settle the score". "The IRA has orchestrated this," he said. |
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Comments (12 of 12)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12News reports in the sunday people, and sunday life claim recently released UFF C company commander Mad dog johnny adair, is behind the upsurge in sectarian conflict, johnny adair boasted to fellow loyalists that he planned to orchestrate and coordinate widespread loyalist activities, such as the recent petrol bombing of holy rosary primary school on sunnyside st and the on going conflicts on the ormeau bridge and in short strand, a catholic fella was also stabbed outside motorglass autoparts shop just beside the notorious UFF stronghold of Annadale flats, the 2 assailants ran off towards annadale flats.
Unfortunately, the press are not helping people see where this kind of shit can lead to - a rekindled civil-war that might make the last one look tame by comparison.
This is purely due to their own laziness and ideological bent.
Most of them preferring to sit on their asses cut-n-pasting Home Office propaganda-handouts straight onto the front page rather than actually getting involved in research, fact checking, maybe even a spot of actual 'journalism'.
These sorts would certainly never venture anywhere near a dangerously low-class area like Short Strand, and the 'reality' their coverage presents very much reflects that fact!
Yours etc., BP
The analysis doesn't go far enough, all blame cannot be taken away from communal parties on the other side, after all SF and SDLP are also PART OF THE NI GOVERNMENT which many on indymedia seem to forget. What is needed is attempts to cut across communal divide. Defend communities this way, there is no way anyone can trust the PSNI but will prodestants ever (and why should they) trust the IRA or SF. And vice versa. What is needed is joint patrols of catholic and prodestants which are democratically accountable to the communities themselves, directly. The problem with this article is it is a mirror image to what it is attacking. Using the same techniques (such as selective evidence) to get its own point across which is obviously nationalist which again is communal and part of the problem and will never be a solution. Replacing catholics being forced into a state with prodestants being forced into a state will only restart the war just the other way around.
'What is needed is joint patrols of catholic and prodestants (sic) which are democratically accountable to the communities themselves, directly.'
Just a very few questions that spring to mind:
How do YOU plan to implement this?
Who would set up and adminster it?
Would the patrols be armed? if so, by whom?
What about the atheists and other religions, could they join?
Would anyone in either a nationalist or a loyalist area support it, so you think?
If such patrols were established, what would they be for - i.e. if both political views agreed enough to set up such patrols, surely their purpose as an anti-sectarian defence force would be superfluous?
and so on...
Incidentally this brilliance is not a new idea. I recall various Trot groups giving it a run out over the years. THey used to include stuff like percentage of 'small farmers', trade unionists, etc. Just as an experiment I ran the idea past a few people in West Belfast and they stared at me as if I had several heads and began to politely edge away...
Congrats on the first post though. Very clear, if people can't understand this and persist in publishing igorant garbage in response there is not much else one can do really.
Todays print edition of the 'Irish News' has a big pic of Adair and his goons out painting the kerbstones in the Lower Shankill, red white 'n' blue. Getting about a bit isn't he - just back from the holliers in Benidorm, then off to carry Swingers coffin, now beautifying his suburb.
Must be that 'community work' he promised on release from Maghaberry. Hope it's not interfering with is pharmaceuticals business.
'What is needed is joint patrols of catholic and prodestants (sic) which are democratically accountable to the communities themselves, directly.'
Just a very few questions that spring to mind:
How do YOU plan to implement this?
Who would set up and adminster it?
Would the patrols be armed? if so, by whom?
What about the atheists and other religions, could they join?
Would anyone in either a nationalist or a loyalist area support it, so you think?
If such patrols were established, what would they be for - i.e. if both political views agreed enough to set up such patrols, surely their purpose as an anti-sectarian defence force would be superfluous?
and so on...
Incidentally this brilliance is not a new idea. I recall various Trot groups giving it a run out over the years. THey used to include stuff like percentage of 'small farmers', trade unionists, etc. Just as an experiment I ran the idea past a few people in West Belfast and they stared at me as if I had several heads and began to politely edge away...
Congrats on the first post though. Very clear, if people can't understand this and persist in publishing igorant garbage in response there is not much else one can do really.
Well its an idea, one way of doing it would be to organise meetings in the areas and try. Maybe it would be difficult but that won't take away from the fact the iras won't be trusted by one side and the uvf etc the other. And I can't see them coming togther to do it. I can't see any other way of going about it. If things get any worse (remembering 5 people were shot recently). something different will have to be done, and if things get any worse they will have to be armed won['t they? Maybe the unions could try to organise something as they still seem to be percieved as nuetral. Either way contining along as things are is not going to prevent any sectarian attacks. IRA patrolling one side and UVF the other will break into conflict sooner or later, with each other and the state security.
We should put forward different proposals because we've had 30 years of nationalist and prodesdant segregating as a solution, which is no solution as territory becomes an issue. And we can't just chop the north in half either!
On the rest of the article I still say if you only talk about sectarian attacks from one side you are part of the problem. Attacks are coming from both sides if you only report one you are indirectly supporting the side being attacked. This can't be swept under the carpet.
Who will ‘organise the meetings’. Do you understand the structure and dynamics of working class communities (of either political viewpoint) in the North at all. Do you think outsiders, including trade unions, can waltz in and be listened to? Whether you like it or not the residents trust the armed paramilitaries who have been active before as their ‘defence forces’. This means that the paramilitaries are in their area, are their brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, neighbours. This applies on ‘both sides’. Outside liberals seem to have a strange notion that the paramilitaries are unknown violent ‘cadres’ that appear out of nowhere to ‘stir up’ trouble and then disappear. This is not the case.
The problem is that the Loyalist political viewpoint is wrong. It is reactionary politically, nothing to do with religion. An interesting comparison is the antics of fascists in the North of England – same rants and political ideas. In fact the Brits have learned from the loyalists and are promoting ideas like ‘peace lines’ in British suburbs. Just substitute ‘Asian’ for ‘Nationalist’ areas. Does anyone go on about ‘equal racism of both sides’?, no they don’t and for obvious reasons. Seems Asians have more of a right to be victims, nationalists must somehow be responsible for the sectarianism inflicted on them.
Loyalism must be defeated as a political ideology, but the purpose of all the loyalist activity is to reinforce the siege mentality stuff. So instead of protesting about the lack of housing in their areas loyalist leaders encourage working class people in their area to believe that the shortage is due to too many Taigs. They use the 50th anniversary of an English Queen as yet another excuse to invade nationalist areas and assault the residents. Pretending that loyalism is acceptable or progressive is fooling yourself. There are a very few persons of a loyalist background who realise it’s nature and try to put forward a progressive politics. Far too few of course.
Why is ‘chopping the north in half’ not a solution. Maybe it is, maybe not. Could be discussed. No one asked us if chopping off one fifth of Ireland was a solution to anything in 1920. Clearly it wasn’t.
People in this board moan on about 5 people being shot. It has been explained several times that these were shot while attacking nationalist homes. I suppose in this context you would just let them destroy your neighbourhood and perhaps kill people, but still not take action to stop them. Well people in Belfast don’t, and I’m sure most normal people in the 26 counties wouldn’t either.
Sectarian attacks are overwhelmingly from the loyalists. Go back and read the first post. I’m getting tired of repeating the same points.
It really depresses me to find otherwise sane people trying to find something progressive or at least defensible in the sectarianism of their "own" side.
So we get a litany of the sins of the evil Protestants and not a mention of such shining examples of Catholic sanctity as the shootings of 15 year old boys and the various attacks on Protestant homes.
The perfectly sensible point made in the above piece, that the mainstream media analysis of the problem as one of two squabbling gangs of maniacs is woefully incorrect, gets lost in an alternate analysis which consists of little but the usual recital of wrongs done by the other side.
It is true to say that more sectarian attacks are being carried out against Catholics than against Protestants. It is also true to say that expressions of sectarian hate tend to be rawer and more open coming from working class Protestants at the moment. You don't have to indulge in the self-delusion of over-protective parents thinking that their little angel can do no wrong to see that. And anyone who denies the reality of Catholic sectarianism in the North really is indulging in self-delusion.
The point missed is that the sectarianism coming from working class Protestants at the moment does not come from their dominance but from their powerlesness. As unemployment rises, social services deteriorate, territory is lost to the "other side" and so on there is no superior position to defend.
I was going to go on to talk about the rise in sectarianism amongst Catholics, but what would be the point? Arguing about the North with some of our provo fellow travellers is like banging your head against a wall.
I am not a Provo Fellow Traveller. I don't support them at all.
I wasn't specifically referring to you Mags, just to a certain minority tendency amongst some of the posters here. I don't know anything about your own politics at all, unless you are the same Mags who is involved in anti-racist work in Dublin - in which case I only know that one thing.
What is happening in the short strand is obscene.
What I found especially disgusting was the atttacks on the funeral of an elderly lady from the area. By this stage, I do not believe that the PSNI/RUC can be relied on to provide a balanced policing service to both communites. It would appear that the majority of sectarian attacks emanate from elements within the majority community, though of course there are bigots on the nationalist side as well. If working class people could come together to combat the bigots, I would welcome such a development but it seems such a long way down the road.