As part of the Line 18 series on Sky News, David Blevins looks at the divisions that still remain in Belfast, 20 years after the Good Friday agreement.
It wasn’t like that 20 years ago. 30-40 years ago is more accurate. In 2000 there were still paramilitaries but they weren’t putting bombs everywhere and shooting each other anymore. There were disputes between UDA and UVF and internal struggles in UDA. There were also punishment shootings back then but it was nothing like the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s.
Northern Ireland is a compromise of "irish" people who wanted to be part of Britain. This is not the UK wanting land it is people not wanting to be in the Irish community.
@@billyesdale1155 The people who want to remain under British rule are the descendants of the people sent from Britain during the Plantation of Ulster to colonise Ireland. Britain did the same thing all over the world. Also, "Britain" is an island, it is the same as the UK.
@@neil4817 They wouldn't be if they accepted the history of the land, and accepted the natives. But till this day, they claim the land on behalf of the monarchy, which still causes the divide.
The problem in NI is that the moderate people of the country have been drowned out, the DUP and Sinn Fein have no intention of going back into power as one feels they have more power in Westminster and the other feels they strengthen their constitutional argument by the collapse of the government. There are 3 solutions: either the a new election is held to try and break the deadlock and hopefully the moderates such as the SDLP, UUP and Alliance get brought back in, Theresa May drops the DUP and holds a general election across the U.K. or there is a border poll to try and settle this once and for all though that last one is unlikely as it would further destabilise the U.K. economy in the run up to March. Of course there’s also the other (to be frank unwanted) option of do nothing
@@dd1607 UK is the only nation on Earth to consistently give its members the chance to vote on secession, everytime NI has been given this vote it has chosen to stay with the UK, just like every other part of the current nation. British Imperialism is long gone, the only imperialists here are the minority of Southern Irish who want to disrespect the democratic choice of the majority of Northern Ireland.
not everyone in Northern Ireland lives a divided physically I am from Northern Ireland these areas are working class areas in other areas like where i live in Northern Ireland Protestants and catholics live in peace i live 50 miles from Belfast in my street we have both communities
P S aye like it’s mostly Belfast and Londonderry that’s divided I live a life with friends from both sides and honestly don’t know anyone that wouldn’t want to be friends with someone due to religion, know it still happens just saying I don’t know anyone
No the ira told everyone British spoilers attacked them when the ira bombed the chippy and gunned down people then British shoulders went and killed the ira yes they killed inicent people but the ira had them do it if they didn't od that Britain wouldn't have searched for the ira
more walls have been built since the GFA. The biggest walls are in peoples heads. if the walls in their heads came down. then the physical ones would also come down too. Can't see it happening in my lifetime.
There is also the option to accept the walls and leave them were they are, why is a physical boundary a problem, be that a wall, a river, a sea or a mountain? Good boundaries make good neighbours.
I agree. I’m an outsider, but I wonder if a repartition could happen. Antrim and Down are the only counties with unionist majorities. Why not just separate the two communities?
I recognized Sunningdale, the place I grew up. I moved from Belfast over 20 years ago. I’m sad that things have not moved on as much as I’d like. But still, it’s a great place and the people there are great in spite of what happened there, not because of it.
Absolutely tragic city.. been to Belfast just yesterday and intentionally went out to the catholic and protestant neighbourhoods after the gates closed.. the contrast between the city centre and titanic part to Shankill and Falls Road and Bombay Street is just day and night. Absolutely terrific.
Britain must leave Ireland completely. When Britain leaves, British sectarianism goes with it. Unionism is simply the ideology of the British empire which is maintained by Britain in a country that is not theirs. It can never be normal and peaceful so long as Britain occupies this part of Ireland.
Dean is inspirational from what he has gone through, and I truly agree, I am from the south, I have loads of friends that are unionist's and they great mates , may we all be friends and look forward to bright and friendship community, great documentary btw Sky News and David , peace
My father was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1993. England has a huge responsibility, the military made matters much worse, by dropping paratroopers here. What the British did, was same as what Germany did to take over Holland in world war two.
David Blevins is simply one of the best reporters in the UK. It's still tragic that the language between both sides remains hostile. Well not all, I think there are many people in Northern Ireland that are so ready to move on, just move on. People on both sides and and some of the families have lost family members in the conflict. So it is possible.
Yea the loyalists made the IRA plant all them bombs and kill them catholic judges, police men, soldiers, prison officers and people shopping at the fish mongers.
@Diarmaid O'Riordan We are also Irish, more than one voice on this Island and we want to be left alone in our own little corner of our island. Your dream is our nightmare and we want nothing to do with it, we didn't make the IRA plant bombs or kill anyone, that was the IRA. Its their responsibility 100%. From 1916 till today, the IRA in it's many forms choose to kill it's fellow Irishmen because they wanted to be British.
@Diarmaid O'Riordan The only foreign oppressor in Northern Ireland is the IRA and South Ireland, the UK is the only nation on Earth to give its member states the opportunity to vote on secession regularly, everytime NI has had this vote the majority have chosen to stay with the UK, the only imperialists here are the Southern Irish who want to throw away the democratic choice of the majority of Northern Ireland.
The Good Friday Agreement has prevented bombings, and hard borders and the British army coming back, but the division will always be there. A fundamental change is going to be needed for divisions to bring people together. The older generation is dying off and hopefully the new generation will want change. It's hard to get over hundreds of years of wars and religion.
Why wouldn't they ? I personally don't want Ireland to be reunited but if Unionist respected our culture and stopped burning our flags etc,I would respect theirs back equally,and maybe even change my mind about a United Ireland if it wasn't one fueled in hate...
@@eibhlin5940 "Keep NI British" why does it matter what country they belong to? They'll still be British, would they not?! Or do they view it from a nationality point of view more than an ethnicity?
to make it easier why don't they just move back to England if they want to be a part of the culture so bad? it's a win win situation for everyone and Irland can finally live in peace after the British occupation.
What church one may or may not vist on the Sabbath day has nothing to with the Northern Irish troubles it's a cultural and political struggle for dominance between two people's the reason it's still dragging on is because we're still at a stalemate and froced power sharing doesn't help.
I see this land as Northern Ireland/Ulster for both Northern and Irish people have the right to live and work. Us in the other UK countries (England, Scotland, Wales) still mostly have to deal with the dirty, occupying, land grabbing and undemocratic monarchy! When Scotland becomes a republic, then all other areas will (and if Northern Irish Ulster wishes to become a republic or join with Ireland it should). We should all fight and be against the British monarchy in England!
What's funny is that people don't realise that an actual civil war would engulf the whole of the island if they surrendered the north. Typical media trying to get hits on their articles 🤣
a border poll for a unified Ireland wouldn't be a surrender it would be a choice and if it voted for unification that would be the will of the ppl in Ireland would it not
A wall as to divide Belfast a communtiy as a divide a country as a Northern Ireland a hope as a country in a life time as Northern Ireland as my life time or a Northern Ireland as a life time in Ireland.
Nope, the ROI could join but never as a Untied Ireland, they made their choice to break away and the rest of us have suffered the political instability ever since.
Cannot believe they still have the walls after all these years, both sides are at fault for not drawing up a list of demolition plan...Over 3 years max
Britain will have to leave sooner or later and loyalists will have a choice... either stay and participate as equals with everyone else on the island or leave for Britain. Problem with that is... Scotland may destroy Britain in the meantime. Change is coming. TAL
il a raison de ses cendres, la plupart ont changé au-delà de la reconnaissance sur les rives du Lagon, ils sont passés de la construction de navires à la construction de la paix ... mais ils ont gratté la surface et vous trouvez autre chose une ville toujours divisée par des murs 99 d'entre eux sont encore des rues ségrégué par les ruptures de mortier et la religion. dans certaines régions, ils verrouillent les portes chaque soir entre catholiques et protestants et malgré les hypothèses, notre sondage exclusif a révélé que les jeunes sont tout aussi divisés que la génération plus âgée. c'est l'histoire de Belfast aujourd'hui 20 ans après l'accord du Vendredi Saint. Ils surveillent les lignes d'allure entre les deux communautés dans ces véhicules blindés. La menace d'attaque ici est toujours jugée sévère. Le nord et l'ouest de Belfast sont les parties les plus difficiles et les plus dangereuses de cette ville. Les espoirs et les rêves d'un avenir partagé sont loin de la réalité moderne, un côté marche pour une Irlande unie, l'autre marche pour rester au Royaume-Uni.
All the authorities have to do split up housing arrangements. Every other house is catholic or Protestant. Learn to live together. If they don’t like it, they can sleep on the streets
@@thethomond They've only tried to do it in Loyalists areas, that's probably why. Maybe try and do it in a place away from both Republican and Loyalist influence?
I see this land as Northern Ireland/Ulster for both Northern and Irish people have the right to live and work. Us in the other UK countries (England, Scotland, Wales) still mostly have to deal with the dirty, occupying, land grabbing and undemocratic monarchy! When Scotland becomes a republic, then all other areas will (and if Northern Irish Ulster wishes to become a republic or join with Ireland it should). We should all fight and be against the British monarchy in England!
There are a few integrated schools. But on a grand scale it won't work. I wish I was wrong. And I'd love nothing more than it to work. But I just know it won't.
@@danielinnicg2114. Its about the British government stealing land. From the native ppl of Ireland. And they use religion as a way of deflecting the blame from them. They did the same all over the world. With their divide and rule policy.
Britain should cut ireland loose. There is absolutely nothing to keep this alliance together. Religion can no longer be blamed; it is dead.The two opposing forces have simply turned their organisations to crime So much for caring about ireland.These so called patriots would like nothing more than blame it all on the english. Ninety nine percent of the fighting, was never about republican/loyalist, it was about power and blind tradition and money.
The UK uses Northern Ireland as an economic buffer zone between themselves and the Republic of Ireland as Ireland is still a member of the European Union whereas the UK famously exited the EU in what is called Brexit. Since Brexit; there is an increasing possibility that Northern Ireland will vote in favor of uniting with the Republic of Ireland, which is permitted under the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. If Northern Ireland does unite with the Republic under the leadership of the Irish government in Dublin; I strongly suspect that London will fear the possibility of Scotland and Wales declaring independence and setting up their own governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff because if Northern Ireland unites with the Republic, London loses its economic buffer zone.
John every person on the planet has an accent, mine is Irish Midlands, but I cannot understand strong Ulster accents, or deep Kerry accents, slainte, slan,
It has very little to do with religion, more to do with imperialism, culture and politics. There were the same problems when the Normans invaded and they were Catholic as well. Religion was just a coincidence and is used by people so they don’t have to own up to the fact that the problems all stem from British imperialism
The out come would have been the unionist population turning to the UDA and UVF rather than joining the Police and British Army. It would have ran out of control in the early 70s.
