DESPITE injuries to at least 41 police officers and what appears to be orchestrated rioting by Unionists in Northern Ireland over recent days, the media has largely ignored or paid lip service to reporting what may eventually result in a breaking down of the Good Friday Agreement.
First Minister Arlene Foster on the face of it has ignited much of the disturbances by asking for the resignation of the head of the PSNI following a report that advised no arrests or action to be taken against participants in the funeral of well-known Republican Bobby Storey last June.
READ MORE: Northern Ireland Executive 'gravely concerned' over ongoing violence
Attending this event against the rules of lockdown was certainly ill-advised and the members of Sinn Fein who did so should apologise for the offence they gave to the population of the province. However, Mrs Foster’s utilisation of the police as a political football in a country where division of identity is so profound can only be viewed as dangerous and diversionary.
Many Unionists feel bitter and betrayed by the Northern Ireland protocol that seems to divide their country from the rest of the UK and flood them with pointless bureaucracy and a controversial Irish Sea border. Boris Johnson’s government hung them out to dry in a quite audacious demonstration of mendacity and Mrs Foster’s ruling party, the DUP, feel deceived and double-crossed by their Conservative party allies.
The Brexit-supporting DUP, the sole party to vote against the Good Friday Agreement, is attempting to convince supporters and members that the protocol will be abandoned by the UK Government in time, but this appears unlikely despite their unilateral decisions to ignore it at present.
READ MORE: Stormont Executive to meet after fifth night of violence in Northern Ireland
This year marks the centennial commemoration of the birth of Northern Ireland. Some will celebrate it, some will definitely not. The province continues to have significant social and economic problems that have been exacerbated by the pandemic and a damaging Brexit process. More than 120,000 children are believed to be living in poverty whilst 40,000 people are waiting for social housing.
The return of violence by groups that operate largely in areas of economic and social deprivation is to be dreaded, particularly at a time when the Westminster government barely acknowledges their overwhelming difficulties. There appears to be a leadership vacuum, with Mrs Foster battling against her tribal instincts and the genuine reasons for the onset of anarchical behaviour by Unionist groups.
The Prime Minister, as is his wont, made public and unreserved promises to the people of Northern Ireland that Brexit would be a boon to their economy and ties with the UK.
He was, of course, being economical with the truth and the obvious upshot of this is now transparently clear for all to see on the streets of the province.
I am forced to wonder how well it would have been reported had it taken place in London, Birmingham or Glasgow.
Owen Kelly
Stirling
IT seems the very people who supported Brexit in Northern Ireland are the ones complaining most about the result. The Brexit negotiations went round and round in circles over the border issue. The proposal of (in effect) a border in the Irish Sea was rejected, but that is what they’ve got anyway. A hard land border would be unworkable and they know it. A soft land border would mean that goods from the Republic going to the EU would have to have the same checks as Britain, and why should they sign up to that?
Maybe when we’ve voted for independence, there can be a renewed EU or single market block of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and England can go its own way until it abandons Brexit.
Robert Fraser
via thenational.scot
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