A lot has been done to help the two communities to come to an agreement where they are both happy. But anything that happens to one community and not to the other, that community would feel that they were threatened. For example the government gave money to the Catholic Church for more pews, the Protestants will feel threatened and wonder why they are not getting any money given to them. This is a common problem that both communities face daily. It is also one of the main reasons that people turn to terrorism.
“BBC Reporter: Billy, did you get involved in paramilitary violence because you were essentially sectarian and you hated Catholics?
Billy: No, I got involved with the Ulster Volunteer Force because I believed that my community and my way of life was under threat, and I believed that violent nationalism had to be responded to by violent loyalism. Sectarianism didn't form any part of my upbringing.”
This is a lot of the answers that have been said by members of terrorist organisations.
The Good Friday Agreement was to do many things. One of those things was to disarm all Irish terrorist organizations. The IRA went on ceasefire and has given in most of their weapons. However the Ulster Volunteer force did not. This was because they still felt very threatened by the IRA. And living in fear of the opposite community that fear has turned to hate. This is what is starting the sectarian conflict between the two communities.
Both communities try to get one up on each other. Either by putting up a flag of the football team that they support to show that they are better. Or by doing something that makes life harder for the other community. These immature act’s leads to more hate and anger building up, until sectarian conflict (like the conflict in Ardoyne) breaks out.
BBC Reporter: Do you see yourself as being different from Catholics?
Protestant: I don't see myself as being different, but the way we're treated we're different because, like, them ones are getting new houses - we aren't. If we want a good house we've to buy our house, but, whereas them ones are getting that house for nothing.
Aye, 'cos they breed like rats, that's why.
Aye, they do. That's why they get better housing.
BBC Reporter: When you say you're bitter against all Protestants, what does that actually mean?
Catholic Woman I wouldn't give them the light of day, I would…I wouldn't go out of my way to wind them ones up or do anything, it's just I would never trust them. And I don't think it's the same on both sides, because Catholics will not go out and do what they have done on a Protestant school. I don't think they would ever stoop to as low as they did.
BBC Reporter: What aspects of loyalist or Protestant culture do you admire?
None.
BBC Reporter: In your area, what myths would have grown up about the Catholic community?
Well when I was a child I always heard that you never trusted Catholics, they can't be trusted, and you'll know them because their eyes are close together, and they kick with the wrong foot - but who actually does kick with the right foot? And I didn't know any Catholics at all living on the Shankill Road, until I went out to work, and then I was admittedly a bit wary whenever I heard someone was from the Roman Catholic religion - do you trust these people? - but I can honestly say I had better Catholic friends in work than what I had Protestant friends.
From the things said here you can see that Trust is one of the main things needed to bring these two communities back together. But the reason that that trust does not exist is because of the historical past that they have with each other. Some people can only justify their hate for the other community is by saying that back in 1972 the Catholics started the fight that caused bloody Sunday. Or if they cant think up a reason like that, they say what the Lady said above “You cant trust Catholics because their eyes are too close together” Maybe with poor excuses like hers the two Irish communities could resolve their issues, but it is down to the case of can they be bothered?
But despite this there are decent reasons that could justify a Catholic or protestant hate. One of these reasons could even be made as a result of the Good Friday Agreement. All terrorists that had been put in Jail were released on the bases that they did not re offend again. Now that some of those people have been released, some have got political jobs that affect the way that the communities live they feel threatened by it.
These are reasons to cause sectarian conflict, this can happen even during a peace process. And the fact that conflict is happening through a peace process shows that it is not working and should be altered. No peace process will give Catholics and Protestants what they want, and conflict will always continue. This is unless the history between the two communities is changed so that they do not know why they are fighting over land that they could both share and get along with each other. Or they could fight and disagree with each other that would get them nowhere.
