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| Britain |
| ’Northern Ireland’s peace will always be one step from violence’ |
| 2004-07-14 |
| The platoon of paratroopers was surrounded by an angry mob of protesters who appeared intent on murder. One soldier had his face smashed in as he went to rescue a private being dragged into the crowd, other colleagues took hits from bricks, bottles and bats and one group of rioters ransacked an armoured Land Rover that had been forced open with a crowbar. At this point the Paras felt their lives were under such threat that they considered opening fire at point-blank range with their rifles. This was not Basra, Kabul or Kosovo; it was Belfast where British troops are still deployed in greater numbers than Iraq because, as shown by a riot that raged into the early hours of yesterday, Northern Ireland’s peace will always be one step from violence while the politicians dither on finding a lasting agreement. In the meantime the Army will continue to be on hand to take the brunt in its longest and most bloody peace-keeping mission in Britain’s backyard. In the unexpected July 12 sunshine, standing in Palace Barracks, a short drive outside Belfast, two years of relative quiet during the Orange Order’s marching season appeared likely to continue. But tensions had heightened after a decision by the Government-appointed Parades Commission to ban drunken loyalist marchers returning along a contentious route in Ardoyne with the Orange parade and bands. The ban was to be enforced by the Army and police. Their mission was to keep the loyalists and nationalist protesters apart, while not becoming targets themselves. "Our problem is that the people up there know that we are coming and they can be prepared," said Lt Col John Whitwam, commanding officer of 2Bn the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. We set off in the CO’s Tavern armoured vehicle, powered by a hefty Chevrolet engine, going by a circuitous route into north Belfast, an area that claimed a third of the 3,600 victims of the Troubles. "Now here are some boys who are going to throw stones at us," said the CO as a group of eight- or nine-year-olds, standing next to IRA graffiti, pick up some rocks to hurl. A youngster jumps up and bends back the wing-mirror as we slow over a traffic hump. The next two hours are spent deploying 800 soldiers, a similar number of police, a vast convoy of armoured vehicles and 23 four-ton Bedford trucks with 15ft high screens specially attached to the side to keep the sides out of sight of each other. The massive security operation along a 150 yard stretch is there to prevent trouble for three or four minutes of marching. |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #1 ’Northern Ireland’s peace will always be one step from violence’ As long as those guys keep up their "marching season", it'll always be this way. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-07-14 11:49:52 PM |