Belfast, Northern Ireland, has once again been bloodied by protest. This time, however, it is Protestants that have clashed with British forces. This outbreak of violence poses a new challenge to the embattled peace process in Northern Ireland: Protestants make up the majority in the province, and they are angry and frustrated that the peace process seems to be marginalizing and ignoring them. Their fears must be quelled if Northern Ireland is to know real peace.
While the Irish Republican Army has long served as the face of sectarian anger in Northern Ireland, an equally powerful -- and bloody -- Protestant counter-current has also existed in the province. Various paramilitary groups have taken up arms "to defend the rights" of the Protestant majority, the most famous being the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).
The paramilitaries declared a ceasefire in 1994, and have pledged to support the 1998 Good Friday peace process. Although there had been numerous breaches, British authorities concluded that the ceasefires were being maintained for the most part and stayed their hand, thus allowing the peace process to move forward. British patience ran out last week.
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