The erection of a security barrier at St Matthew’s Church on the Newtownards Road is a “sad symbol that some people in Northern Ireland want to drag us backwards”, according to NI Conservatives’ co-chair, Trevor Ringland.
“The safety of people on either side of the peace-line in east Belfast is paramount”, Trevor acknowledged. “However it is sad that the construction of this new barrier is necessary, particularly in the grounds of a place of worship. The unpalatable truth is that some people in our society are determined to keep perpetuating the hatreds which disfigured Northern Ireland in the past. They do themselves and the communities they come from a grave disservice.”
“The vast majority of people want to move on. There have been some enormously successful community projects designed to bring people together across the peace-lines at the Newtownards Road / Short Strand and elsewhere in Belfast. Unfortunately there is also a small minority which wants to increase tension, there is a failure from all the parties at Stormont to provide leadership for the community and there are problems with young people being drawn into violence, by those who should know better.”
“If we are serious about bringing down peace-walls and defusing the situation at interfaces, we need to take radical action. It may be possible to create special zones where there are stiffer penalties for public order offences, because of sectarian sensitivities. It may be possible to rehouse persistent offenders, away from peace-lines. We certainly need to get communities together to discuss controversial issues and how to avoid increasing tension. We need to support the initiatives which are taking place and we need more robust challenges wherever paramilitarism threatens to rear its ugly head. If we get a real grip on these issues we can see barriers taken down, rather than more erected. Because building shared and stable communities is the only way that everyone in Northern Ireland can have a successful, prosperous future.”