Protestant Families flee after 'intimidation' from Republicians - 26th August 2004

A family takes down their Union Flag before moving out Ten Protestant families have moved out of their north Belfast homes after beening intimidated by republicans our a long period.
The Protestant families left their homes in the Torrens estate, near the Oldpark Road and Cliftonville Road on Thursday. They said they had been subjected to a campaign of intimidation over recent years, and earlier this year applied to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to be re-housed. It is understood a number of other Protestant families have already moved out of the area during the last two months. Elizabeth Ferguson, who has lived on the estate for 38 years, says three generations of her family were moving out. "We are getting forced out of our homes," she said by Roman Catholics. A Protestant spokesperson said "I used to take my kids to school and get spat on and called all the lovely names under the sun. "Three weeks ago they wrote IRA on my living room window and front door. "I don't want to go but I don't have any other option. They are getting their own way and they are forcing us out. "My grandmother is 91 years of age and she is also being forced out." "There is a campaign, organised against the Protestant community that lives in Torrens, said the spokesperson. Why else would we move out? Elizabeth Ferguson said we had "No option but to move out" North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds of the Democratic Unionist Party described the intimidation as "ethnic cleansing" of Protestants from large areas of Northern Ireland. (No wonder West of the Bann is Green and we all know why don't webmaster) Nigel Dodds said: "This is the most tragic story to emerge from the entire Troubles, in terms of the displacement of a community. "This isolated Protestant community has been systematically targeted by republicans over many years. "The people living there simply can't take any more." SDLP councillor Martin Morgan said he was deeply saddened by the situation. So much for peace and parity of esteem and respect for others of a different religion. We the Protestants of Northern Ireland now live in 'cold ice house' to be a Protestant in Northern Ireland is akin to being a leper in bibical times. August 26th 2004

Tears flow as families flee

Ten families from a Protestant housing estate in north Belfast have fled their homes, claiming they are victims of a campaign of sectarian violence. The BBC's Ireland correspondent, Mark Simpson, who watched the families leave, has been examining the background to the exodus. It all started eight years ago when a bicycle was thrown through a living room window. The simmering sectarian tensions came to the boil and the area has never been the same since. On Thursday, the fears turned to tears, as a group of Protestants - including four generations of one family - packed their belongings and left. Elizabeth Ferguson was distraught at leaving her home No-one was more upset than mother-of-two Elizabeth Ferguson. As she sobbed, the local MP Nigel Dodds arrived and gave her a hug. It is unusual to see touchy-feely politics on public display. In north Belfast, it is much easier to spot the hatred. You don't have to look hard to find vicious sectarian graffiti, vandalised homes, cars sprayed with paint and smashed bottles. People have lost count of the number of petrol-bomb attacks, burglaries and physical assaults - by both sides. Catholics and Protestants breathe the same air, and sometimes go to the same shops, but most other things are segregated. This is what life is like on the so-called peaceline - different schools, different pubs, different football jerseys and, of course, different churches BBC News 26th August 2004

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