THE brutal slaying of three people on the streets of Belfast has understandably heightened tensions in Northern Ireland.

The cold-blooded and calculated murders are a tragedy. A personal tragedy for the families of the victims, and tragedy for the many law-abiding people living on Belfast's Shankill Road, who are looking forward to a genuine and lasting peace with some degree of optimism.

But these killings have to be put in their proper context. If they are, then the momentum towards peace in Northern Ireland remains unshakable.

In themselves, the recent murders are not aimed at de-railing the peace process or jettisoning the ceasefire. They are simply the violent outcome of a bitter and bloody feud within the ranks of loyalist terrorists.

Without an active IRA to engage and an armed political struggle to wage, the loyalists have turned their attention on themselves.

It appears likely the feud is a 'turf war' over drugs rackets. It is a manifestation of criminal rather than political violence.

Nevertheless, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson is right to view with the utmost seriousness the latest escalation in violence. He is right to order soldiers back on the streets, and he is right to order the arrest of Johnny Adair and anyone else who is blatantly promoting paramilitary activity.

It is vital that the internecine war within loyalist ranks is not allowed to spread to other communities within Northern Ireland. Such an escalation could well put the ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement under severe strain.

Meanwhile, it is up to the mainstream political leaders and the vast majority of people of Northern Ireland who want to construct a secure peace to demonstrate resilience, calm and their utter condemnation of violence of any kind.

Praise all round

THE news that the overall GCSE pass rate has increased for the 12th year running will undoubtedly prompt accusations that the examinations are getting easier.

In the absence of concrete evidence to support their suspicions, we ask such people to consider that today's children might be brighter than those of past generations.

In an age when it is popular to knock young people, we congratulate all those youngsters who were successful in their GCSEs yesterday.

And in an age when it is popular to knock teachers, we applaud the school staff who helped achieve the record results.