Worldfocus special correspondent Martin Himel looks at how Protestants and Catholics are coming together in the classroom.

Watch another signature story from Northern Ireland: “Wounds still left open from Northern Ireland’s conflict”

For more background on the conflict, listen to our online radio show on violence in Northern Ireland.

Worldfocus special correspondent Martin Himel reports on how a decade of peace has not ended the pain for many families whose loved ones were murdered or vanished.  

Following two recent attacks by Irish Republican Army (IRA) splinter groups, Northern Ireland is on edge, fearing a return to the “Troubles” — the decades of violence that killed more than 3,300 people until the 1998 Good Friday peace accord.

In the first attack, the Real IRA gunned down two British soldiers — the first British troops killed in Northern Ireland in 12 years. The following day, the Continuity IRA killed a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Both groups have vowed to continue their operations until Northern Ireland is no longer part of the United Kingdom.

The attacks shook the province’s coalition government of Protestants and Catholics, many of whom disagree on who should rule Northern Ireland — Ireland or the United Kingdom. In the wake of the attacks, thousands have gathered for peace rallies across the country.

Worldfocus.org’s weekly radio show explored the history of violence in Northern Ireland and the current political and cultural situations there, examining life in the conflict-torn province and prospects for the future.

Worldfocus anchor Martin Savidge hosted a panel of guests:

Paul Arthur is a professor of politics and director of the graduate program in peace and conflict studies at the University of Ulster. Among his books are “Northern Ireland Since 1968” and “Special Relationships: Britain, Ireland and the Northern Ireland Problem.” He has contributed to the Times, New York Times, Observer, Sunday Independent and Guardian.

Kevin Cullen has reported for The Boston Globe since 1985. In August 1997, he opened the Globe’s Dublin bureau, which marked the first time a major American newspaper based a staff reporter in Ireland. Cullen travels to Northern Ireland frequently writing about the conflict. He has spent more time in, and written more about, Northern Ireland than any reporter for an American newspaper.

Honor Fagan is a lecturer in sociology at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. She has previously worked at the University of Ulster and has carried out research and published in the subject areas of gender, development, cultural politics and identity formation. She is the author of “Culture, Politics and Irish School Dropouts: Constructing Political Identities.”

Credits:
Host: Martin Savidge
Producers: Lisa Biagiotti, Katie Combs and Stephen Puschel

Pope Benedict XVI travels to the continent as the Catholic population there grows — one-fifth of people in Africa are Catholic.

Father Patrick Ryan, the vice president for University Mission and Ministry at Fordham University, spent 26 years working as a teacher and academic administrator in West Africa and joins Martin Savidge to discuss the effectiveness of abstinence in battling HIV, Africa’s growing Catholic population and significance of the pope’s trip.

For more on the AIDS crisis in Africa, see the Worldfocus signature story: AIDS ravages 1,000 people per day in South Africa.

A mural commemorating Bobby Sands, an IRA member who was imprisoned in Belfast and died while on a hunger strike. Photo: Katie Combs

Following two attacks by Irish Republican Army (IRA) splinter groups this week, Northern Ireland is on edge, fearing a return to the “Troubles” — the three decades of violence that killed more than 3,300 people until the 1998 Good Friday peace accord.

In the first attack on Sunday, the Real IRA gunned down two British soldiers. The next day, the Continuity IRA killed a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. 

The attacks threatened the province’s fragile coalition government of Protestants and Catholics. Officials on both sides of the Irish border are still searching for a bomb rumored to have been smuggled into Northern Ireland by the Real IRA. 

In the wake of the attacks, thousands have gathered for peace rallies across the country. 

Several Twitter users describe peace vigils in Belfast, including:

@sharp_words: (Northern Ireland) Just back in office after attending peace vigil in Belfast, 1000s there, good show of solidarity.

@Leib13: (Belfast) Was glad to be at the peace vigil outside City Hall in Belfast today. Good to see so many people wanting an end to this insanity.

Watch a video of a gathering of Unionists at a peace rally in Belfast from YouTube user unionistbilly:

An Irish blogger at “Cultured Views” writes that the people of Northern Ireland do not want a return to violence and must stand behind police:

I really do not want this blog to become overly political, but in light of recent events here in Northern Ireland it would be inappropriate not to comment on what is happening and what people are saying.

[...]The people here right now are determined that these recent events will NOT result in revisiting the dark days of the Troubles; they do not want retaliations; they do not want a return to the suspicion and fear. People are shocked and saddened today but not looking for revenge when once they might have done.

We do not want to see large numbers of soldiers on the streets here anymore in fact the numbers of troops here had been reduced to just 5000 from a one-time figure of 30,000; armed watchtowers had been demolished - the army helicopters don’t buzz over certain areas anymore. In order to maintain this we have to support the police - the PSNI - in their role of finding the criminals who committed these acts of terror. This should not be a job for the army but the police can only succeed if the public cooperate - all people from all communities.

In any civilised country a good police force has the support of it’s citizens; Northern Ireland has to stand among them.

A blogger at “Talk Northern Ireland” deplores the attacks, but also warns the police against heavy-handed action that could exacerbate tension:

We have had peace too long to be dragged back to that mire we were in.

[...]All I can say to the attackers is: Stop now. We have moved on. It is time you moved on as well.

BUT a word to the PSNI,  Britsh Government and our Unionist politicians…please, please do NOT repeat the mistakes of the 70s and 80s. Do NOT go the heavy handed policing route because of a few malconetents. You did this before and lok at the cost we had to endure. Think before you react.

A blogger at “A Tangled Web” writes to argue that contrary to messages of unity and peace, the attackers do enjoy support in Northern Ireland:

Contrary to what is being stated, the Irish republican terrorists who have murdered in Antrim and Craigavon DO enjoy significant support in certain areas. This may not have resulted in political support (yet) but they don’t care about that! They are sheltered, they are protected - they get away with bloody murder and their neighbours stay quiet. Just like they stayed quiet when IRA killers were active. Nothing is different.

The controversial move to legalize abortion has been challenged in the Supreme Court and upheld. Ninety percent of Mexico’s population is Catholic.

Martin Savidge travels to populous Mexico City, where the abortion debate rages on.

Below, bloggers in Mexico and elsewhere voice their support or opposition to the city’s legalization of abortion — a rarity in Latin American countries.

Reverend Thomas Euteneuer of Human Life International writes about his organization’s trip to Mexico, where they prayed in front of an abortion clinic. He calls Mexico City’s law “cruel and inhumane.”

The “Guanabee” blog argues that abortion is much more than a religious issue, writing that it also involves class, gender politics and culture issues.

“The Unapologetic Mexican” blog writes that media coverage of the legalization was biased and virtually ignored women’s voices, but calls the new law “a good start.”

The “South Chicagoan” blog writes that Mexico City’s decision to provide free Viagra to elderly men reflects gender bias when it comes to sexuality, since it is still so difficult to get an abortion.

The “Ciudad de Mexico” blog (in Spanish) wonders why Mexico City’s legislators did not engage in public debate on the issue prior to the legalization. (See Google’s English translation of the entry)

Blogger “Jo Tuckman” writes that it is amazing how far Mexico has come in such a short period of time.

For more on the abortion debate in Latin American countries, see what a Worldfocus contributing blogger had to say about the Urguayan president’s veto of a bill that would have legalized abortion in that country.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user emilyjmc06 under a Creative Commons license.