Desperation and isolation for terrorised communities
Saturday May 10 2008
THE terror and isolation endured by families in marginalised, crime-ridden communities in Limerick is graphically outlined in a new report.
There is a lot of unresolved anger and intimidation around "revenge killings", which have become a feature of life in neighbourhoods caught up in a drugs and crime spiral.
A sense of powerlessness has engulfed many young people, who feel "marooned" and with no way out, according to the 'Men on the Margins' study from the University of Limerick (UL).
The dismal depiction of life inside communities fractured by poverty, drugs and social exclusion comes from young men who have been personally affected by events, including two whose fathers were murdered, one whose father committed suicide and one whose father died tragically in an accident.
Prisoners
The study, carried out by the Institute for Study of Knowledge and Society (ISKS), found a multitude of factors including neighbourhood violence, traumatic loss of friends and relatives, social and emotional difficulties, combined with educational deficits, were contributing to their difficulties.
It reports that control in the communities is exercised by a small number of families involved in the distribution of drugs and other criminal activity, making their neighbours virtual prisoners.
Anti-social behaviour is starting in children as young as 10, with boys graduating from street drinking to stealing, joyriding and prison as they emulate others, who, in turn, see crime bosses as heroes.
"Control over communities is exercised by fear and intimidation. If intimidation does not work, a family can have their house burned down, family members beaten or shot and forced to leave the area."
"A murder, automatic fire or the burning down of a house are high-profile activities. There is, however, low-level everyday violence and intimidation that creates fear and anxiety," the report states.
However, there is still a strong sense of place and only two of the 18 interviewees would like to move out of the area in which they live.
Most of the 18 young men, aged from 18-33, were disaffected from school at an early age. They encountered difficulties in managing the school environment, and in some cases, many left without basic reading and writing skills. Lack of qualifications compromises their ability to find work, adding to their sense of hopelessness.
The study will be discussed shortly with representatives of the Limerick Regeneration Agencies. Among its key recommendations are a need for greater links between gardai and the local community, with a stated desire for more gardai 'on the beat', rather than patrolling in cars.
On the revenge killings issue, the study found that people began to believe that their loved one, who had been killed, was of no value.
Co-author Carmel Kelleher said bereavement and anger could "manifest in inter-generational feuding which needs to be addressed."
- Katherine Donnelly
