Ethnic Conflict of Northern Ireland

ETHNIC CONFLICT IN

NORTHERN IRELAND

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ETHNIC CONFLICT IN NORTHERN IRELAND

The ethnic conflict in Northern Ireland has existed for well over 1 ,000 years . A

thorough overview of the Irish conflict must include a study of the history of this conflict

actual and probable causes , attempts at peaceful negotiation of an agreement between the

parties , acts of terrorism and incarceration of political prisoners an overview of

relevant and active terrorist groups , a study of both ethnicity and ethnic

identity

Additional issues must also be addressed , including the process of demonization

comparative religion , pros of the leaders involved in representation of these groups

multiculturalism and culture , the use of different languages influential political parties

sources of ethnic conflict , political and government policy , the progress in terms of the

peace process , and responsible public debate . In discussing these issues , one should

consider the social labels that are applied in public debate in which the opposing parties

attempt to demonize the opposing groups and the holistic concept that poses the question

as to whether one man 's revolutionary is another man 's freedom fighter ' is a valid

statement . Additionally , anyone researching the issues should consider the long history of

England 's colonial uprisings in its territories (and former territories and whether and

how the British government has successfully responded to uprisings , and appropriately

initiated force to adequately quell such revolts

Joseph Ruane and Jennifer Todd have researched the and have identified

five separate dimensions relative to the likely sources of conflict These dimensions are

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identified as religious preference , ethnicity , settler-native civilization barbarism , and

union nationalism (Ruane : 1996

A HISTORY OF CONFLICT

The history of the people of Ireland , particularly in Northern Ireland has been a

very unsettling one which has existed for many centuries and has always been ripe with

ethnic and religious conflict . The Republic of Ireland Act of 1948 was legislation which

declared that the official for the State of Ireland shall be the Republic of

Ireland (irishstatutebook .ie : 2007

Oliver Cromwell went to Ireland in the seventeenth century in an effort to

suppress rebellion in Ireland and to prevent further violent attacks on the Irish Protestant

populace . As a result of his violent actions , many thousands of Irish Catholics died . The

legacy of violence which was left by Oliver Cromwell still inflames many Irish Catholics

In an investigation into the violence in Northern Ireland in 1972 Leslie Scarman

wrote a report for the benefit of the British government relative to the heightened tensions

existing in Northern Ireland . Scarman concluded that the situation in Northern Ireland

was so tense that little could have been done by authorities to prevent the violence from

escalating out of control . Scarman also concluded that the failed policies of the

British government , British police forces , and the British army were substantially to

blame for the escalation of violence in the region (White : 2002

The Irish people initially settled in tribal groups , and maintained a government

system which...