Children’s trauma over loyalist feud
The loyalist feud on Belfast's Shankill Road has affected the entire community, not least its children. This article, prepared by reporters from Children's Express, a programme of learning through journalism for eight to 18-year-olds, looks at the crisis through young eyes.
| In school people are going about asking are you UVF or UFF. I told them I was neither. |
Anger, confusion and fear dominate the feeling of young people caught up, or even just witnessing, the rivalries within loyalism.
Mairead, 15 said, "If everybody claims that they want peace so much they should not be getting on like that." She said while media attention has focused on the Shankill, it was not the only area suffering at the hands of the paramilitaries. "The trouble that's been happening in my own area, Oldpark has been awful."
In some schools, there has been increasing pressure on pupils to declare support for one or other paramilitary group.
"In school people are going about asking are you UVF or UFF. I told them I was neither and they just walked off," said Michael, 14. "I'm neither, but you know you're scared to say, 'I'm nothing' in case they are going to like rebel against you because you don't want to get involved," he said.
While most young people may not want to get involved in paramilitary violence, many get caught up in it, Mairead said. "It's to look big and to get in with people. Some get their anger from losing close ones," she added.
Thomas, 15 understood that young people can be influenced and attracted to violence but he strongly believes "its nothing to do with where you come from, it isn't even to do with your friends, it's just you, your choice in life."
Paul, 14, who has returned to live in Northern Ireland from the United States said he found the situation discouraging. "I think that it is depressing to think of how it affects kids. It sort of brainwashes them. In some schools, kids supporting either group are having to go out different doors so they won't start rioting," he said.
When going to visit friends, Paul tries to avoid gangs of young people, who support paramilitary groups. "It scares me a wee bit. There are gangs of kids who support one of the paramilitary groups. If they see you around there they will just jump on you and beat you up, they really don't care if you're from one gang or not. It makes me feel angry because it is really unfair to people who aren't involved in that," he said.
Orlaith, 12 said paramilitary feuding is setting the peace process back. "It is not helping, obviously, and when people are trying to work other things out, it is really going to slow things down. It is just stupid and it is up to them to sort it out."
About the team
This article was produced by the Children's Express Belfast Bureau. It was published in The News Letter.
