wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Church leaders condemn Belfast rioting

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8907 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05483
Sept. 14, 2005

Church leaders condemn Belfast rioting	 
  
by Ray McMenamin
Ecumenical News International
  
DUBLIN - Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders have condemned rioting by
militants opposing a plan to have Northern Ireland leave the United Kingdom
and be incorporated into the Republic of Ireland.   
  
	Calling on "anyone with influence" to "use it to diffuse tension,"
Harry Uprichard, moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said he was
"appalled by the widespread rioting ... and shocked by its violence and
ferocity."    
  
	There has been rioting every night in Belfast since Sept. 10 - some
of the worst violence the city has seen in a decade. Trouble erupted after a
Protestant parade was re-routed to avoid passing through a Catholic
neighborhood. More than 2,000 police officers and soldiers have tried to end
the rioting.  
  
	The Rev. Ian Paisley, head of the Free Presbyterian Church and leader
of the powerful Democratic Unionist Party, condemned the violence. He denied
that he prompted the riots when he said before the controversial parade that
its re-routing "could be the spark which kindles a fire there would be no
putting out."	 
  
	The head of the (Anglican) Church of Ireland, Archbishop Robin Eames,
appealed for calm, saying he shares "the deep concern of so many at the
turmoil erupting within the Protestant and loyalist community at this time." 
  
	The Irish Catholic leader, Archbishop Sean Brady, urged community
leaders to help restore calm. "The safety of people and the security of their
property is being severely threatened. I hope that calm will be restored to
these communities by community leaders engaging in constructive talks," he
said.  
  
	The moderator of the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland, the Rev.
David Lacy, also expressed sorrow at the events, noting: "Ireland's historic
political disputes are manifestly not about ... the peaceful message of the
gospel, which both Protestants and Catholics share."   
  
	Meanwhile, Peter Hain, the British cabinet minister responsible for
Northern Ireland, has said his government no longer recognizes the ceasefire
reportedly called by the Protestant paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer
Force (UVF), which wants Northern Ireland to stay part of the United Kingdom.
He said the UVF has been involved in the recent disturbances and its ongoing
feud with another Protestant paramilitary group, the Loyalist Volunteer
Force, has claimed a number of lives.  
  
	In recent weeks, the future of the Irish Republican Army, the largely
Catholic paramilitary group seeking the reunification of Ireland - which has
said it will lay down its arms - had been the focus of international
attention. Now the attention has turned to Protestant groups, some of which
believe their concerns are being sidelined in the peace process.

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