BRICK, concrete, corrugated iron and barbed wire separate Catholics and Protestants in North Belfast. The "peace-lines" zig-zag across the constituency, fencing one small enclave off from another.
But still the fighting continues. Every week, houses are stoned, cars damaged and young men beaten up. Such incidents are so common that they don't even make the news. They seem to have intensified as the election approaches.
The sitting Ulster Unionist MP, Mr Cecil Walker, who has held the seat for 14 years, is certain of reelection The constituency is about 60 per cent Protestant and he is the only unionist candidate. Sinn Fein and the SDLP are battling for second place.
Their candidates are very different men. Sinn Fein's candidate is Mr Gerry Kelly, a former IRA man, prisoner, hunger-striker and Maze escaper. The SDLP flag-bearer is Mr Alban Maginness, a sombre Belfast barrister.
North Belfast has suffered more than any other area during the Troubles. A fifth of all killings have occurred here. Eight Catholic families were put out of their homes in Limestone Road last week by loyalists from Tiger's Bay.
They allege the RUC did not protect them properly. "Only two Land-Rovers came to the scene," says a man. "There were so many loyalists that the police didn't even bother to get out. They just waited for reinforcements."
"There is a lot of fear and tension around," says an observer. "It will help Sinn Fein." Working-class nationalist districts - Ardoyne, New Lodge, the Waterworks area and Ligoniel - will vote overwhelmingly republican.
Nationalists in the constituency's middle-class band - Bellevue, Cavehill and Fortwilliam - are mainly SDLP. These Catholics live in peace with their Protestant neighbours. "They just go to different golf-clubs," an observer notes.
At the forum election, Sinn Fein beat the SDLP into third place and Mr Kelly is hoping to maintain his party's lead.
"Alban Maginness has a poor election team," says an observer. "It's a diminishing group of mostly middle-aged and elderly matrons who think they have the finger on the pulse but haven't a notion. Sinn Fein is more clued in. Gerry Kelly and the boys were down on the Limestone Road when the trouble occurred. The SDLP don't like getting their hands dirty."
Mr Walker (72), is the North's oldest parliamentarian. He has attended UVF funerals yet has the image of a moderate. He has a low public profile but secured a 10,000-vote majority at the 1992 Westminster election.
Last year, UUP young Turks tried to oust him. Mr Walker threatened to stand as an independent, which could have resulted in a nationalist win. He was comfortably reselected.
One internal critic says: "There has been heavy criticism of Cecil Walker's work record and he is hated in working-class Protestant areas where he is seen as being totally out of touch. Every election, though, he gets returned with a massive majority."
Another UUP member takes a more long-term view: "Cecil has survived but the electorate is increasingly demanding that its politicians stay close to their grassroots. Cecil's successor will have to be a very different man."