ConflictConflict in

Northern Ireland

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In 1993 In 1993 • 1 million Protestants, mostly of

Scottish and English origin

• 600 000 Catholics, mostly descendents of local Irish inhabitants of the island

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Government in Northern

IrelandGovernment in Northern

IrelandSince 1972

• Ruled by the British parliament in London

• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland chosen by the British Prime Minister

• Finance, Commerce, Health and Education controlled by N Ireland government

• Foreign affairs and defence matters were in British hands

History of History of Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland

Ireland conquered and colonised by England (English Protestants)

The rest of Ireland (Southern) remained mainly Catholics

12th Century..

English landlords in Ireland brought in Protestant Scottish and English settlers

Pushed out many local Irish Catholic farmers

Those Irish Catholics who stayed behind given least fertile lands

Northern part of Ireland thus became mainly Protestant

Low standard of living for the Catholics in NI

English landlords in Ireland brought in Protestant Scottish and English settlers

Pushed out many local Irish Catholic farmers

Those Irish Catholics who stayed behind given least fertile lands

Northern part of Ireland thus became mainly Protestant

Low standard of living for the Catholics in NI

Catholic King James IICatholic King James IIv.s.v.s.

Protestant King William of Orange Protestant King William of Orange

•Battle of Battle of BoyneBoyne•William of

Orange•ProtestaProtestantnt

•ProtestaProtestantnt

• King William remains a hero to Protestants to this day

• King William remains a hero to Protestants to this day

•Divide

d Loyaltie

s!

•Divide

d Loyaltie

s!

Protestants implemented the Penal Laws

•No Catholic can buy land•No Catholic shall be allowed to vote•No Catholic can join the army•No Catholic may receive higher education

• The local Irish Catholics sought limited self-government, known as HOME RULEHOME RULE in the late 1800s

• Most Irish Catholics desired complete Independence from Britain, but Irish Protestants feared living in a country ruled by Catholic majority

• Catholics wanted a united Ireland, but the Protestants wanted NI to remain part of UK.

•Divided

Loyalties!•Divided

Loyalties!

•Limited self government

19211921 : Ireland divided into two separate parts Based on majority religion religion of each part

Northern part (PROTESTANT)(PROTESTANT) became known as NORTHERN IRELANDNORTHERN IRELAND – remained part of UK, under British government

Southern part (CATHOLIC)(CATHOLIC) became known as IRISH FREE STATEIRISH FREE STATE

19211921 : Ireland divided into two separate parts Based on majority religion religion of each part

Northern part (PROTESTANT)(PROTESTANT) became known as NORTHERN IRELANDNORTHERN IRELAND – remained part of UK, under British government

Southern part (CATHOLIC)(CATHOLIC) became known as IRISH FREE STATEIRISH FREE STATE

20th Century•THE TREATY

SIGNED!

20th Century

•Mainly Catholics

•Mainly Protestants

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Causes for the Conflict between the Protestants and the

Catholics

• Historical Differences• Divided Loyalties• Separate Educational

System & Residential Areas

• Employment• Housing• Voting Rights

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• The Catholics resent the period of English colonial rule when their ancestors have been badly treated:

• Catholics were massacred by their English colonial masters• Local Irish farmers were forced out of their homeland by the English

• The Catholics remember the long fighting and struggle for Home Rule

Emotional Baggage and Negative

Attitudes towards the Protestants!

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The Protestants:• Regard

themselves as British

• Wants NI to continue to be part of United Kingdom

• Fear union with Republic of Ireland

The Catholics:•Regard themselves as Irish•Want Northern Ireland to reunite with Republic of Ireland•Do not want NI to continue to be part of UK as they resent the British

They do not see themselves as

belonging to the same country!They do not see themselves as

belonging to the same country!

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Therefore, divided loyalties is a main cause of conflict because this means that there is disunity in the country. When there are disagreements, they cannot see things from the other point of view, thus they cannot resolve disagreements. This leads to tension and conflict.

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1) EDUCATION SYSTEM•Schools in N Ireland can be divided into 3 categories:

* The Protestant Schools* The Catholic Schools* Mixed Schools ?

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In the Protestant Schools• Students are taught British History, play

British sport and are loyal to Britain

In the Catholic Schools• Students learn Irish History, play Irish

sports and taught Irish language and culture.• See Britain as a foreign country

In Mixed Schools• Subjects cater to both the Catholics and

Protestants• Schools run by private individuals• Unpopular

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2) RESIDENTIAL AREAS•Live in separate residential areas•E.g.in Belfast, 63% of the population lived in areas that were either mainly Catholic or Protestant (1991)

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Results:

• Generations of children grow to be distrustful of each other

• Hostility between them increases• Lack of interaction between the two

parties

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•Therefore, separate educational systems and residential areas is a main cause of conflict because this means that they grow up distrustful and hostile towards each other due to lack of interaction. There is little understanding, which leads to increased tension and disagreements when they interact. This leads to tension and conflict.

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• Catholics felt there is no equal opportunity for them in getting the jobs •Number of civil servants and engineers was not proportionate to their numbers

• Fewer Catholics in senior positions in the public or private sectors

•Catholic males were 2.5x more likely to unemployed

• Catholics felt there is no equal opportunity for them in getting the jobs •Number of civil servants and engineers was not proportionate to their numbers

• Fewer Catholics in senior positions in the public or private sectors

•Catholic males were 2.5x more likely to unemployed

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•Therefore, employment is a main cause of conflict because this means that Catholics get fewer jobs, which means they have less

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• The provision of housing by city council (made up of largely Protestants) - caused great concern to the Irish

• Catholics were delayed in getting their houses• They were the ones with bigger

families

• They became frustrated as the shortage of houses meant they have to wait for many years to own a house

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•Therefore, housing is a main cause of conflict because this means that they will have to stay in overcrowded houses with poorer living conditions. This lowers their standard of living, thus they feel angry and want to fight. This leads to conflict.

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•The right to vote was a problem to the Catholics prior to 1968

•Each household was given to 2 votes while companies had more votes depending on their sizes

•Many companies owned by Protestants - so they ended up with more votes

• Many voting districts were often drawn up to include larger proportion of Protestants

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Since 1968, changes have been made:

• Everyone is entitled to one vote• Must be a British subject• Must be above 18 years old• Voting districts have also been redrawn to ensure fairness

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•Therefore, the issue of voting was a cause of conflict in Northern Ireland because this meant that the Catholics had less power to vote for the government they want, which meant less protection of rights and less privileges. This lowers their STANDARD OF LIVING SO they became angry, want to fight. This leads to conflict.

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Peaceful Protest Peaceful Protest Marches vs Marches vs Violence Violence Civil Rights movements started in

1960s• demanded equal rightsdemanded equal rights• protested against unfair protested against unfair

treatment of the Catholicstreatment of the Catholics• made peaceful demands for made peaceful demands for

basic rights such as housing, basic rights such as housing, jobs, education and votingjobs, education and voting ?

The Civil Rights Movement marked the start of a period

known as “The TroublesThe Troubles” in Northern Ireland.

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How did the Protestants react to these marches?

•Protestants reacted with hostility and violence

•Saw the movement as an attempt to weaken the government

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In 1969, • The British Army was sent to

Northern Ireland to help keep peace

• Catholics welcomed their protectors

• Catholics soon lost faith in the British Army when the army started to search their homes and made arrests

Intervention of the British Army

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In 1972: BLOODY SUNDAY

• A peaceful civil rights march was shot at by the British soldiers

• 13 civilians were shot dead and many more were wounded

Intervention of the British Army

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Irish Republican Army (IRA)• An illegal organisation formed by the

Northern Irish Catholics• Aim: to use violence to rid Northern

Ireland of the British Army and the representatives of the British government

IRA was said to be responsible for 2/3 of the deaths and even the killing of innocent Protestants

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Consequences of Conflict in Northern Ireland

Social Social SegregationSegregation

• Segregated socially:Segregated socially: in the way they in the way they live, work and playlive, work and play

• Do not interact or communicateDo not interact or communicate• Tend to see each other in a hostile Tend to see each other in a hostile

mannermanner

Lack of understandingLack of understanding

• Different education systems/ Different education systems/ segregated schoolssegregated schools

• Separate residential areasSeparate residential areas

Declining Declining EconomyEconomy

• Threats of violence and bombs drove away many investors and tourists– Destroyed factories, equipment,

stoppages in work – Constant fighting threatened the

safety of the tourists

• Fall in national income from tourism and businesses

Political ReformPolitical Reform• Civil rights movement put pressure

on the NI government to establish reforms/ anti-discriminatory measures– Extension of right to vote to all

adults without distinction of race or religion

– Re-drawing of electoral districts– Fairer distribution of public housing

•Some of these reforms were only partially only partially

implementedimplemented, and not enough to satisfy the

growing demands of the Catholic community

•Reforms made Protestants unhappy as they suspected the civil rights campaign was a cover for Catholics to push for reunification

of Ireland

•Nonetheless, some attempts were made by

British government to resolve conflict

•How will all these

eventually turn out?

Political ReformPolitical Reform• Good Friday Agreement

– Signed on April 10 1998– IRA, NI community and British

government – Denounce violence and pledge to work

towards the peace process

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• Throughout 1980s and 1990s attempts were made to resolve the conflict but attempts failed• Peace accord was discussed in the 1990s but failed• New agreement reached in 1998 uncertain as there is still tension

Future Developments…