Where you come from can instil feelings of pride in the traditions and culture associated with the land of your birth. When the land of your birth has been conquered and colonised, the indigenous people might well retain grievances and the hope that the colonial power will relinquish their dominance.
In Cyprus the Turkish government has shown no sign of relinquishing their hold on the part of Cyprus they invaded in 1974. In Palestine, Israel shows no sign of halting the illegal settling of the West Bank, or the building of barriers that isolate Palestinian communities, despite rulings by the International Court of Justice. In Northern Ireland there is an expanding Catholic electorate and an acceptance among some Unionists that reunification is inevitable.
For those who cling to their historic dominance, there is little hope of reconciliation. But there have been instances where unexpected compromises have been achieved. The Afrikaaners in South Africa acknowledged the democratic right of black Africans to have a say in the running of their country. A deal was brokered in Ireland that bolstered the rights of Catholics in the North to equality, and recognised the aspirations of both communities to parity of esteem.
odespinner 