Frustration continues to be a dominant factor among the Protestant,
Unionist and Orange people of Northern Ireland and given the
trend of events, is it any wonder?
For years, successive British governments have pandered to
republicans and nationalists, with a non-stop diet of concessions
and 'goodies' in a bid to keep them happy and on board the
'peace process'.
When the government did show any willingness to listen to
the other point of view they tended to favour the paramilitary
elements in the loyalist and Unionist community, overlooking
the fact that the paramilitaries constitute a very small percentage
of the Protestant population, especially outside Belfast and
in the larger towns.
The voices of traditional Protestant Ulster- churches, Unionist
parties, and in particular the loyal orders have been disregarded
or tossed aside, if they were ever listened to at all. The
Orange and Black Institutions have had to face the loss or
interference with traditional parades, even church parades,
some of them over a century old. In recent times it has become
even more intolerable, as the Bloody Sunday inquiry is joined
by films on the event, while atrocities in which many Protestants
were murdered have been ignored.
The emasculation and demise of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
has been followed by the expected upsurge in crime, much of
it violence directed against the more vulnerable elements
of society, notably senior citizens. Army bases are being
threatened with closure, and observation towers close to the
border which provided some feeling of protection are being
closed.
Recently there was uproar at a meeting of Craigavon Borough
Council when members of the public gallery made their feelings
known over a decision to restrict the flying of the Union
Jack to 14 days during the year, and to order their removal
from the Town Halls of Portadown and Lurgan, as well as the
Civic Centre, buildings from which they have been flown every
day of the year. Regrettably, four Ulster Unionist councillors
abstained in the vote, thus allowing the Union Flag to be
hauled down.
The scenes in the council chamber at Craigavon were deplorable,
but it is not surprising, given the deep feelings of hurt
in the Unionist population at what is happening all around
them. It is not just people who might be termed hardline who
feel angry and frustrated - the feeling exists right across
the broad Unionist population, and that is something the Government
needs to take into account.
The Secretary of State, Dr. John Reid, recently made his
much publicised speech in which he warned that Northern Ireland
could become 'a cold house' for Unionists. His concern was
welcome, but what has happened in practical terms to remove
the feeling of coldness and isolation?
One example springs to mind. There is a small Protestant
enclave at the bottom of the Garvaghy Road in Portadown which
has been under attack for years, almost on a nightly basis,
from nationalist and republican youths who use the cover of
the People's Park to throw missiles at the houses in Whitten
Close and King Street, in which many of the Protestant residents
are senior citizens.
Unionist councillors of all shades raised the issue of King
Street-Whitten Close with the police, and ultimately with
the Northern Ireland Office, seeking increased security and
a more formidable peace line to cope with missile throwing.
The response? The Security Minister Jane Kennedy informed
Craigavon Borough Council, on the same night the flags issue
was raised, that she had turned down the request for more
security at Whitten Close-King Street, but that four security
fences in the nationalist parts of Portadown were to be strengthened.
A four-fold increase in security for the nationalist areas,
and a rejection of the one measure sought on behalf of the
Protestant minority community in Garvaghy Road.
To make matters worse, the Minister claimed that the police
were not satisfied that the attacks on this small Protestant
community were sectarian! That only increased the feeling
of utter frustration on the part of the Unionist councillors
of all hues who had fought so hard to try and get this protection
for their people.
Is it any wonder that the feeling of betrayal is so acute
in the Protestant and Unionist communities throughout Northern
Ireland? It is time that Dr. Reid got the message to his Ministers
and to the Northern Ireland Office, that Protestants and Unionists
deserve a lot better than this treatment. Then the majority
community might begin to believe his sympathetic words mean
more than just - WORDS.
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