Why Northern Ireland Has Become A Cold Place For Protestants

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr. John Reid, delivered a speech to the Institute of Irish Studies at Liverpool University, in which he explored issues of identity and belonging relevant to the two communities in Northern Ireland.

Dr. Reid observed that the Roman Catholic community "breathes confidence, coherence, dynamism and energy. Roman Catholics are increasingly integrated into the higest levels of almost every area of economic and social activity, including government."

In contrast, the Protestant community "feels its traditions, culture, and way of life are under threat from an alliance between the large and vibrant Roman Catholic community within its boundaries, its larger neighbour to the South, and a spineless, ungrateful or even perfidious parent across the Irish Sea."

Facing this reality, he asserted that "Northern Ireland must not become a cold place for Protestants....." These are fine words: They are nothing more.

After 30 years of violence, thousands of deaths and countless injuries, the I.R.A. claimed there was peace. The violence continued, though at a lower level than before. The arms importation carried on, as did the planning and the targeting. The Unionist community asked for a sign of good faith that the war was over. We asked for arms to be decommissioned - to be put permanently and verifiably beyond use. If there was any concern whatsoever, to ensure that Northern Ireland did not become a cold house for Protestants, this was the issue to demonstrate it. And what was delivered? An event, carried out somewhere, we don't know where; by someone, we don't know who; involving something, we don't know what. We are told to trust the General (John deChastelain, chairman of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning) - who when he is asked questions, either refuses to answer or engages in word games designed to disguise the truth. We are asked to accept a system built upon a nod and a wink; and once again, republicans walk away laughing, clutching another fistful of concessions.

In terms of the policing situation, the Northern Ireland Office has run roughshod over the wishes of the Unionist community. Recently the name change was carried out, with people coming like thieves in the night to remove R.U.C. crests from stations.

We now have 50-50 recruitment into the police - and what we see now is that if a Roman Catholic recruit drops out, a Protestant recruit loses his place to keep the balance. The new police service is to be overseen by a Policing Board. All this has been done in the name of bringing nationalists on board. Yet Sinn Fein/I.R.A. remain outside, demanding more concessions, and doubtless these will continue to flow, with little concern for Protestant isolation.

The political Institutions produced by the Belfast Agreement were loaded against the Unionist communtiy from day one, with the d'Hont system, cross-community consent and everything else. Everything was done to ensure Unionists were kept down.

Despite continued efforts to mask it, the rampant North-Southery continues, contrary to the freely expressed will of the Unionist community. Despite claiming that our right to self-determination and to be part of the United Kingdom has been recognised, 10 so-called "implementation bodies" continue their work, while pro-Agreement Ministers bend over backwards to facilitate the North-South Ministerial Council and to develop programmes and projects with a cross-border dimension. Every day, good government in Northern Ireland is compromised in favour of a Green political agenda.

In the current financial year, spending on cross-border activity amounts to more than £10 million, financed by a rates increase more than double the level of inflation. This agenda is financed out of the pockets of every householder and business owner in Northern Ireland, yet all it serves to do is create and sustain a bureaucracy that exists for its own sake rather than for any positive results that it brings.

The Belfast Agreement, also gave us the Equality Commission and the Human Rights Commission. These organisations are supposed to safeguard our rights, yet their very make-up does not reflect the community in Northern Ireland. Yes, there are republicans; yes, there are nationalists; there are Pro-Agreement Unionists and let's not forget the Women's Coalition. But are there Anti-Agreement Ulster Unionists? Are there D.U.P. supporters? No, not one. The clear majority of Unionists are opposed to the Belfast Agreement, yet they are given no voice on these most important of statutory bodies. This situation in itself is a breach of our human rights. And what has John Reid done about it? He has reappointed eight out of nine existing Human Rights Commissioners - without an open advertisment - and has appointed four new Commissioners, none of whom reflects the viewpoint of the majority of Unionists. Does anyone seriously think that if Tony Blair created such a body for England, that it would not reflect the views of New Labour? Yet Unionists in Northern Ireland are expected to put up with such an intolerable situation.

In addition the equality agenda is constantly being used by republicans as a stick with which to beat the Unionist community. In Belfast City Council Sinn Fein/I.R.A. have commenced a campaign to have flags and emblems removed from the City Hall because they create a symbolic atmosphere that is entirely British in character and therefore offensive and unwelcoming to republicans. We as Unionists will fight to ensure that this does not happen, but how can we hope to have a fair hearing when the equality and human rights bodies are stacked against us?

We can also look at the Northern Ireland Office's other great triumph in its relationship with the Protestant community - the Parades Commission. Set up with one purpose only, to constrain and restrict the expression of Protestant cultural identity, it has been biased from the outset. It has simply handed more weapons to republicans, if more were needed, to enable them to further humiliate and degrade the Protestant community, particularly in vulnerable areas like Newry and North Belfast!

In terms of Northern Ireland becoming a cold place for Protestants, there is no area where Protestants feel that cold wind bite more than in my own North Belfast constituency. No doubt you will have watched and read much about the blockade of the Holy Cross Primary School. However, rather than simply condemn those involved, as some on this side of the water have done, I would suggest that it is more productive to ask what has driven ordinary people into such an extraordinary situation.

The reality of the situation in North Belfast is very different to that portrayed in the media. For the past 30 years, Protestant communities like Glenbryn, Tiger's Bay and the White City have been isolated and eroded by republican terrorism. More than 20,000 Protestants have left North Belfast as a result of this campaign, leaving only the most disadvantaged behind and creating deprived neighbourhoods that suffer from acute social disadvantage and a lack of any confidence. Throughout the summer, these areas were put under virtual siege by I.R.A. orchestrated mobs and this intimidation continues.

Much has been made of the intimidation of children at the Holy Cross Primary School which I agree is unacceptable yet little attention has been paid to the Protestant children who have been attacked on school buses, or the Protestant schools that have dozens of windows smashed every weekend. Or even the fact that Protestant children in Glenbryn are not permitted to use the local public library, because republicans intimidate they away from it.

The situation in North Belfast is about territory. It is about republicans forcing Unionists out by any and every means at their disposal. On a day-to-day basis, this means those who are orchestrating the violence at night are orchestrating a campaign of physical violence and intimidation by day to ensure that the Unionist community are denied resources and denied the opportunity to regenerate their areas. In my capacity as Northern Ireland Assembly Minister for Social Development, I announced a £16 million housing investment for two Unionist areas for North Belfast which have been badly affected by republican violence.

Despite the fact that these areas were independently assessed as being in chronic need, and despite the fact that my department is also spending millions of pounds to address housing problems in nationalist areas of North Belfast. Gerry Kelly, the Sinn Fein Assembly Member - who, incidentally, bombed the Old Bailey - was immediately castigating me for giving money to Unionist areas. This complete absence of generosity of spirit permeates not only North Belfast but the entire political process in Northern Ireland. As far as the Unionist community is concerned, the Northern Ireland Office is complicit in the campaign.

The actions of John Reid and the government that he represents do not match up to his honeyed words. If he is really serious about delivering a Northern Ireland that is not a cold place for Protestants then he has a lot of work to do.

I would like to make a few suggestions that he might implement as a starting point :-

• Make public the details of the so-called decommissioning event.
• Admit that he broke the law regarding David Trimble's reappointment and call fresh Assembly elections to let the people of Northern Ireland have their say.
• Scrap the sectarian discrimination that has been placed at the heart of policing.
• Restore the name badge and flag of the R.U.C.
• Dismiss both the Equality Commission and the Human Rights Commission and commence a fair, open and transparent process of appointments to produce a membership that gives a true reflection of the community in both religious and political terms.
• Scrap the Parades Commission.
• Give due recognition to the suffering of the Unionist community in North Belfast at the hands of republicans.

Northern Ireland has indeed become a cold place for Protestants, with my own North Belfast constituency colder than most. This is largely as a result of New Labour's own activities and their continual willingness to feed the insatiable demands of republicans.

Regardless of John Reid's latest smokescreen, the Unionists will continue to fight against sectarianism and anti-Protestant discrimination at the heart of government and to build a Northern Ireland that is safe, peaceful and prosperous within the United Kingdom.

by Nigel Dodds M.P.