School violence may spur NI peace

Parents and children make their way along the Ardoyne Road on Thursday

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- The north Belfast school crisis could help trigger a political settlement in Northern Ireland, Secretary of State John Reid said.

A group representing parents has appealed for people from across Belfast to attend a peaceful rally in Ardoyne on Friday.

The Right to Education Group urged all religious leaders in the island of Ireland to come and escort the children and parents to classes and called on Northern Ireland's political leaders to meet parents.

As police seized a consignment of suspect loyalist blast bombs in the city, Dr. Reid said all sides faced a clear choice following the violence at Holy Cross, a Catholic school in a Protestant area.

VIDEO Elaine Burns talks with CNN's Matthew Chance about how the bombing outside a Belfast school impacts her two daughters (September 6) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Despite recent violence, Roman Catholic parents seem determined to walk their children to school. CNN's Matthew Chance reports (September 6) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES • Parents recall bomb terror   • On the scene: 15 minutes of terror     EXTRA INFORMATION • In pictures: Running the gauntlet of hate   • Q & A: Belfast school violence     AUDIO CNN's Matthew Chance: Protesters turned their backs on parents and children 1.05MB / 50 sec WAV sound CNN's Matthew Chance talks to Father Aidan Troy 2.24MB / 213 sec WAV sound

"They can use those events to entrench their positions, to blame the other side, or they can use that crisis as a spur to finding a political resolution of the deep bitterness and hatred that seems to exist in certain sections of the community," he said.

On the fourth day of protests, Roman Catholic girls walked to school without facing a barrage of stones -- as they had done earlier in the week -- from Protestants, who instead blew whistles and air horns.

There was widespread revulsion on Wednesday when militants threw a homemade grenade into the road as students aged four to 11 walked towards the school.

Police said they had received assurances that there would be no paramilitaries among the protesters on Thursday.

"I've been sick to the pit of my stomach, but this type of thing has been going on throughout Northern Ireland for over 30 years," said Elaine Burns, a mother of two girls who attend the school.

"I've lived in fear for most of my life, but this needs to stop on young children and the peace process needs to be pushed on, people need to sit down and talk."

Dr. Reid was on Thursday night due to meet the head of the local police, Royal Ulster Constabulary Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan, security officials and the governors at the school to discuss the situation.

But he insisted Northern Ireland's "slide into barbarism" was not inevitable.

The British government is facing pressure to clamp down on the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), the outlawed Protestant group blamed for many recent attacks against Catholics.

The Northern Ireland secretary said: "The first thing we have to do is try to isolate those who on the backs of potential grievances in north Belfast have attempted to carry out savage sectarian attacks."

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams met the Right to Education group on Thursday and offered to talk to the loyalists trying to prevent nationalists coming through their estate.

The West Belfast MP insisted there could be no justification for what he described as bigoted, sectarian abuse being hurled at the youngsters.

"Even if this blockade was an entirely peaceful one, even if it was an entirely silent one, it would still be wrong," he said.

Some young Protestant girls dressed in their own school uniforms were among those creating a barrage of noise on the Ardoyne Road.

Billy Hutchinson, a North Belfast Assembly member with the loyalist Progressive Unionists, welcomed the tactic as an example of the residents taking the protest into their own hands.

In a reference to orchestration from outside, he said: "It's better than what has gone before and as it goes on, the community will start to take more control and keep control."

The change in tactics by the loyalist protesters was welcomed by the RUC Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan.

He said: "Today saw a significant change in the nature and character of the protest which allowed the police operation to be adjusted accordingly."

After discussing the issue on Thursday, the education committee of Northern Ireland's Assembly said it was "wrong and very sad to see children caught up in such a highly charged and hostile atmosphere" and urged community leaders "to make every effort to encourage people to step back and engage in dialogue to achieve an immediate resolution."

Three held over bomb

The trouble outside the school began in June and resumed Monday when the summer break ended, rising to a new crescendo with Wednesday's explosion. More than 40 police officers have been wounded in this week's protests.

The loyalists say the children are being used as a cover for members of paramilitary Republican groups to enter Protestant areas. Catholics parents say they are merely exercising their rights to try to bring their children to school.

The trouble outside the school began in June and resumed Monday when the summer break ended, rising to a new crescendo with Wednesday's explosion.

The outlawed Irish Republican Army traditionally has had strong support from Ardoyne Catholics, while lampposts on the Protestant side fly the flag of the outlawed UDA and Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF).

Extremist Protestants known as the Red Hand Defenders -- regarded by police as a cover name for UDA and UFF members claimed responsibility for Wednesday's blast bomb.

Police arrested three men in connection with Wednesday's blast bomb incident. They were still being questioned on Thursday.

More than 40 police officers have been injured since rioting began on Monday in Ardoyne.

Tensions in Ardoyne have spread to other parts of north Belfast, the most bitterly divided side of Northern Ireland's capital.

A 32-year-old woman has been charged with murder following the death of a Protestant teenager run over on Tuesday.