A deteriorating situation, 1969-72

A deteriorating situation, 1969-72

The Civil Rights Association and Its Impact

  • Established in 1967, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) fought for equal rights for Catholics and Protestants.
  • NICRA campaigned against discrimination in voting rights, housing, public sector jobs etc, largely biased against the Catholic minority.
  • Response of the Unionist government was overwhelmingly negative, leading to inevitable clashes and worsening unrest.

Key Events in 1968-1969

  • A civil rights march in Londonderry, October 1968, famously received violent backlash from police.
  • As a result, the BBC and RTE (Ireland) broadcasted this violence globally leading to international condemnation.
  • Following a series of riots and protests, British troops were sent into Northern Ireland in August 1969 in Operation Banner, aimed to restore order.

Introduction of Internment

  • In August 1971, the Unionist government introduced internment, or imprisonment without trial, to curtail rebel activity.
  • Main targets of internment were the members of Irish Republican Army (IRA), deepening the existing divide.

Bloody Sunday

  • On 30th January 1972, during a NICRA march in Londonderry, British soldiers from the Parachute Regiment opened fire killing 13 civilians, a day now known as Bloody Sunday.
  • This event amplified resentment towards British troops and fuelled IRA recruitment.

Events Leading to Direct Rule From Westminster

  • Repercussions from Bloody Sunday led to the withdrawal of the home rule, i.e., governance through a devolved administration, for Northern Ireland.
  • The shooting of the British Ambassador to Ireland, Christopher Ewart-Biggs, in 1976 further spiralled the unrest.
  • In March 1972, the British government assumed direct control, effectively suspending the Northern Ireland Parliament, in response to the escalating violence.

Continued Violence and Carnage

  • The 1970s and early 1980s was characterised by continued violence, commonly referred to as The Troubles.
  • Although the IRA is often associated with violence during this period, Protestant paramilitary groups such as the UVF were also involved in a series of atrocities.
  • Notable incidents include the Omagh bombing in 1998 which was one of the deadliest incidents during the Troubles.

Remember to always analyse these events in reference to prolonged conflict, evident mistrust among communities, and how decisions made during this period impacted the subsequent peace process.