Understanding Northern issues

A number of points made in your recent editorial (Aug 12) struck me as demonstrating a clear lack of understanding of certain issues in the Six Counties.

The primary one was the assertion that this year’s unrest in the North was provoked by the decision to limit the flying of the Union flag outside Belfast City Hall, and that those who initiated this change share a degree of responsibility for the ensuing trouble. Such a claim suggests that we should cave in to criminals who use intimidation and thuggery to undermine the rule of law.

I would suggest that your viewpoint shows a lack of understanding of what it is like to be a Catholic and Nationalist in the North today. The intimidation of triumphalist Orange Order marches and the unwelcoming sight of Union, NI and Loyalist paramilitary flags that adorn hundreds of towns and villages across the North are just some of the examples of the constant attacks on one’s Irish identity.