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The Price of Division: The Hidden History of Northern Ireland. Can you imagine such violence?
On 3 May 1921, with the passing of the Government of Ireland Act, Ireland was divided into two self-governing entities: Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. This division was not only a geographical division, but also a deep social, political and cultural rift, which set the tone for the conflict in the following decades.
Northern Ireland was created with the emergence of the Ulster Volunteer Army, a military organization of about 100,000 loyalists dedicated to preventing Northern Ireland from being ruled by an Irish government. With the outbreak of World War I, these tensions were temporarily suppressed, but after the war, the upsurge of the Irish independence movement emerged like a flood, causing the shadow of division to re-emerge.
"The root cause of violence lies not only in the two sides of the fight, but also in our biased perception of each other."
Following the landslide victory of Sinn Féin in the 1918 election, the party known for its campaign for Irish independence, declared an independent Irish Republic. This political statement quickly angered the pro-Union people of Northern Ireland and formed the basis of what we now know as "The Troubles". In 1920, the British government attempted to pass the Government of Ireland Act to establish two decentralized governments in two regions, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. The original intention of this bill failed to achieve its peaceful purpose in the short term, but instead triggered a A sharp social upheaval.
With the separation of Southern Ireland in 1922 to become the Japanese Free State, the Northern Ireland Assembly chose to remain within the British fold. This choice has deepened the conflict between the two places and the problem of social division has become increasingly apparent. Sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland rose again during the 1940s and 1950s, culminating in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
"The responsibility of history lies not with those who choose to be prejudiced, but with those who choose to remain silent."
In 1967, Northern Ireland's rulers' opposition to the civil rights movement led to a rapid escalation of social conflicts, which ultimately led to three decades of violent conflict and the deaths of more than 3,500 innocent people. One section of Ireland called for unity and independence, while another section clung tightly to loyalty to Britain. In such a complex social situation, every election and every demonstration in Northern Ireland involves the redistribution of power and the reintegration of society.
The 1998 Good Friday Agreement attempted to find a solution to the long-running conflict by distributing power in Northern Ireland and stressing that the territory's status must be agreed upon by local residents. This agreement is like a ray of light that attempts to guide the people of Northern Ireland out of the shadow of history, but the road to true reconciliation remains long and full of challenges.
"The cost of division is not only material loss, but also spiritual trauma."
The hidden history of northern Ireland makes us wonder: In the shadow of fierce conflict and history, how should we face each other's differences and the possibility of tolerance?
