Primate attacks NI 'mafia culture'

Other forms of violence replacing terrorism, Eames says

The government must challenge a new 'mafia' culture which is replacing 30 years of sectarian killing in Northern Ireland, the Church of Ireland primate has said.

Giving his Christmas sermon at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh on Monday, Archbishop Robin Eames called on the government to "face up to the culture of violence and fear in the community with realism and determination".

Dr Eames expressed his support for the peace process and encouraged political progress, but he said there was still an "unacceptable level of violence, intimidation and so called punishment beatings" in the province.

He said: "Political progress is essential, but political progress can never be a substitute for the exercise of basic law and order on our streets.

"Political progress can never be an excuse for tolerating the law of the bullyboy."

People must rediscover a basic reverence for life, Dr Eames added.

Archbishop Eames: "New culture of decency must be created"

"Life has become far too cheap in the province. The culture of violence which we see day and night presents a threat to young and old.

"In too many areas, violence towards people has become the way of life.

"Bullying, intimidation, armed robbery, the mafia-style outlook in which decent people feel fear even in their own homes, are all examples of how cheap life has become.

Dr Eames said he was greatly concern by "new talk of an "acceptable level of violence".

"Our society is in real danger of coming to accept such happenings as an inevitable norm," he said.

"The 30 years of terrorism has given way to a new culture of 'respectable violence'. People talk to me of being afraid to tell what they know or what they have seen, of the consequences of speaking up.

"This is a situation which should and must be challenged.

"Fear can never be the basis for building a just society."

Dr Eames added that fear must be removed from Northern Ireland society so that "those who are intent on destroying or injuring lives will know they will inevitably pay the price of detection and conviction".

"This community must see the culture of fear and violence replaced by the culture of decency, respect and a common recognition of the value of the individual under God," he said.