There is anger and fear on the streets of north Belfast, reports Suzanne Breen, Senior Northern Correspondent
It certainly doesn't seem like there is a peace process in north Belfast. Last night nationalists went about their business quickly, fearful that if they loitered outside a shop, taxi depot or pub they would be shot.
The situation can deteriorate quickly. Within five hours on Sunday there was one murder, three shootings and two attempted gun attacks. The anger and division many observers predicted would decrease as the political process progressed are stronger than ever.
"Loyalists are petrol-bombing houses, firing bricks and snooker balls through windows and now they are killing Catholics," said Cathy Murray from Ardoyne. "We have been under siege for 30 years and we are still under siege.
"Yet loyalist violence isn't even on the political agenda. All the talk is of what the IRA is doing. Loyalists are getting away with murder and we are left undefended."
On the other side of the peaceline William Hamilton blames nationalists for the trouble. "They are waging a campaign of genocide against the Protestant people. They are trying to ethnically cleanse north Belfast. They want us out and they will do whatever it takes," he said.
At 7 p.m. on Sunday a gunman from the nationalist side of the Ardoyne peaceline fired at Mark Blaney (19) who was standing in loyalist Glenbryn Park. Local people said the shooting followed stone-throwing across the peaceline.
A loyalist gunman then attempted to shoot nationalists outside a pub on the Oldpark Road, but the weapon jammed. Ten minutes later a Catholic was shot in Rosapenna Court. Nationalists were also fired upon in Ligoniel.
On the Old Cavehill Road loyalist gunmen chased two Catholics, who escaped. At midnight a Catholic, Gerard Lawlor (19) was shot dead as he walked home from a pub on the Antrim Road.
Colin Elliott, a local Protestant, said the violence was a sign of increasing loyalist frustration. "People feel there is no democracy in this country." he said. "It was republicans who started the trouble by shooting a Protestant on the peaceline."
Republican and security sources attributed that attack to the INLA, which has been recruiting in the area amid growing disillusionment with the peace process. Mr Paul Little of the INLA's political wing, the Irish Republican Socialist Party, said the INLA was officially on ceasefire and he had "no reason to believe that is not the case".
But he added that any violence from nationalists was "purely defensive and an inevitable response to loyalist aggression. The pro-agreement politicians at Stormont need to wake up and smell the coffee," he said. "This is not a peace process, it is a political process aimed at securing the British occupation of Ireland."
A local SDLP councillor, Martin Morgan, "noted with regret" that there was little condemnation of Mr Blaney's shooting. "Nationalists have been under attack for months. They want to be defended and, unfortunately, they look to whatever group will defend them. The media portray the violence as tit-for-tat - it isn't. In nine cases out of 10 it is instigated by the UDA. Of course nationalist youths respond when their area is attacked."
The local DUP MP, Mr Nigel Dodds, condemns Mr Lawlor's murder but says Protestant homes have been attacked in Glenbryn, the Crumlin Road and Skegoneill Avenue. He says sectarianism has increased in Northern Ireland generally since the Belfast Agreement.