13 November 1997 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

RUC supports Whitewell `Berlin Wall'

By Mick Naughton.

Nationalist residents in North Belfast are furious that the RUC is backing plans for a wall to be built for several hundred yards behind Serpentine Gardens.

The construction of this ``peaceline' has been the subject of debate within the community from last July during the height of the Drumcree period of Orange violence.

Local Sinn Fein councillor Danny Lavery supports the residents' plea for no fence or wall to be put up. ``The decision to build this wall at the behest of loyalists has been approved by the RUC and is presently on someone's desk at the Northern Ireland Office,'' Lavery said.

Nationalists in the area say that physical barriers have not secured peace in other areas of the city over the past 27 years and at times provide a shield for loyalists to launch attacks on nationalist homes. Homeowners say property prices will fall if a wall is erected.

One resident told An Phoblacht that if a wall goes up it will reinforce unionist plans to limit the number of nationalist residents living in the area because ``it will block any movement of nationalists out of Whitewell and into the neighbouring White City which has numerous empty houses. This wall will end up creating a ghetto here. We do not want to see this area become sectarian,'' he said. ``Last weekend there was another barrage of stones aimed at our homes. A wall will not stop this. The time for fences is long gone. Lets talk before we start putting up fences. The people want dialogue.''

He added that the numerous Protestant residents living on the nationalist side of the proposed wall have nothing to fear from their neighbours yet the wall will not extend to the Gunnell Hill and Graymount areas from where weekly attacks carried out by loyalists are launched

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland