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Riots subside in Belfast after two days of violence. 13/09/2005. ABC News Online
[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200509/s1458749.htm]
Last Update: Tuesday, September 13, 2005. 0:46am (AEST)Riots subside in Belfast after two days of violence
Belfast residents struggled to work through streets littered with burnt-out cars and shattered glass after two days of rioting that could hamper efforts to forge a lasting political settlement in the province.
Mobs of Protestants, frustrated at what community leaders say is the government's failure to deal with their security fears, hurled petrol bombs, set light to hijacked cars and shot at police in the worst unrest in Northern Ireland for years.
The weekend riots in Belfast and outlying areas ground to a halt early on Monday but many streets - some barely 100 metres from new office blocks and apartments in the city centre - remained strewn with debris.
"It's just like the bad old days," one Catholic shopkeeper said, who had to pick his way through broken bricks and glass to get to Belfast's main wholesale market, located near a pro-British "loyalist" area of south Belfast.
Tension in Northern Ireland's Protestant communities, which largely favour British rule, has mounted since Britain started to scale back its security presence in the province following a pledge by Irish Republican Army (IRA) guerrillas to disarm.
Protestants fear Britain is moving too fast at a time when the IRA, which formally ended its armed campaign against British rule in July, has shown no sign of getting rid of its weapons.
"The weekend's violence was much more deep-seated than many are perhaps prepared to accept," Reg Empey said, leader of the moderate pro-British Ulster Unionist Party.
"There has been a build-up of resentment that those who practise violence get listened to and have their concerns addressed ... Republicans are seen to influence government by threatening force and getting rewarded for their efforts."
In what analysts said was a strong warning to Protestant paramilitaries to end their violence, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said he was reviewing their ceasefire status, which could close off negotiating channels for the extremists.
"I was horrified at the evidence I have been shown of the severity of the attacks on police officers," Mr Hain said.
"We've seen scores of bullets fired by paramilitaries without any objective other than to kill police officers."
- Reuters
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