February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The violent spots are well known by now. There is Drumcree, near Portadown, the Short Strand in East Belfast, the interface areas of North Belfast, and the Springfield Road in the west of the city. It was all too easy, given the occasion, to spark an ugly confrontation in these flashpoints and allow it to degenerate into a riot.
While there were a few minor incidents involving stoning, this Twelfth must rank as one of the most peaceful since before the Troubles started. There were even some signs in the most intractable of the disputes, such as Drumcree, where a standoff between Catholic residents and Orange marchers has endured for years, of a begrudging acknowledgement from both sides that a compromise would soon have to be thrashed out.
The uneventful marching season has provided a breathing space for the different parties to the stalled attempts to restore devolved government. It hopefully will enable them, come the fall, to consider the way forward out of the current impasse. A violent marching season would have deepened the difficulties all sides now confront. But thankfully this has not happened.
At least one explanation is evident. The major paramilitary organizations were active on the streets in preventing situations from turning nasty. For this they are, of course, to be commended. But it does indicate that the street violence that has shaken Northern Ireland over the previous years is far from being a spontaneous phenomenon. It clearly can be turned on and off according to the political agenda of the moment.
It would be nice to think that this represents a vision of the future for Northern Ireland, when the paramilitary organizations will no longer be able to manipulate the violence nor be needed to control it.