Northern Irish unite in protest
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Reuters
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 12, 2009 00:00
BELFAST - Thousands of people took part in silent protests in Northern Ireland yesterday against republican dissidents who killed a police officer and two soldiers in the British-ruled province.
In a show of unity, politicians from nationalist and pro-British parties joined the crowds of people who stood, some with flags and banners, to bagpipe music at the main rally outside City Hall in the capital Belfast.
"That's a united Northern Ireland which we have never seen before," said Peter Bunting of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, or ICTU, which organized the rally. Irish and British politicians have vowed to defend the peace process in Northern Ireland after the Real IRA shot dead two British soldiers late on Saturday and another dissident group killed a policeman two on Monday evening. Members of Sinn Fein, an ally of the Irish Republican Army attended yesterday's rallies, along with representatives from the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party, or DUP, which Sinn Fein now shares power with in Belfast.
Power-sharing deal
A power-sharing agreement signed in 1998 has brought relative calm after 30 years of bloodshed between minority Irish Republican Catholics and pro-British Protestants.
The agreement helped reduce sectarian violence, known as the Troubles, in which more than 3,600 people were killed in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s. The Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, which said it carried out Monday's attack, oppose the peace settlement and have pledged to keep up their fight until British rule is overthrown and Ireland is united.
"What has happened over the last 10 years should not be surrendered," John Batch, a 49-year-old man was brought up as a Protestant but now describes himself simply as Christian. "I grew up through the Troubles. I don't want that for my children." Pope Benedict condemned the killings, which he called a serious threat to the peace. PMGordon Brown said London would enhance security in the province.
"That's a united Northern Ireland which we have never seen before," said Peter Bunting of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, or ICTU, which organized the rally. Irish and British politicians have vowed to defend the peace process in Northern Ireland after the Real IRA shot dead two British soldiers late on Saturday and another dissident group killed a policeman two on Monday evening. Members of Sinn Fein, an ally of the Irish Republican Army attended yesterday's rallies, along with representatives from the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party, or DUP, which Sinn Fein now shares power with in Belfast.
Power-sharing deal
A power-sharing agreement signed in 1998 has brought relative calm after 30 years of bloodshed between minority Irish Republican Catholics and pro-British Protestants.
The agreement helped reduce sectarian violence, known as the Troubles, in which more than 3,600 people were killed in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s. The Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, which said it carried out Monday's attack, oppose the peace settlement and have pledged to keep up their fight until British rule is overthrown and Ireland is united.
"What has happened over the last 10 years should not be surrendered," John Batch, a 49-year-old man was brought up as a Protestant but now describes himself simply as Christian. "I grew up through the Troubles. I don't want that for my children." Pope Benedict condemned the killings, which he called a serious threat to the peace. PMGordon Brown said London would enhance security in the province.