In the interst of truth in Inreland... Parades Commission confirms march ban

Last updated: 17:18

Orangemen will be banned from marching through a nationalist area of Portadown on Sunday, the body governing parades in Northern Ireland confirmed tonight.

The Parades Commission upheld its ruling from Monday forbidding the Orange Order from marching through the Garvaghy Road this weekend during its annual Drumcree parade following an appeal from the Portadown District.

In a two page statement in response to the Orange Order's request for a review of its decision, the Commission said it was "considerably encouraged" by the affadavit presented to them on behalf of the Portadown Orangemen by mediators in Belfast earlier today.

Following a meeting with the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, it also acknowledged in its second determination a "genuine desire" on the part of the nationalists to find a resolution to the dispute. However, in a reference to the street violence across Northern Ireland over the past five days since Monday's decision to ban the parade, the Commission said it had also "gone to considerable lengths to spell out that peaceful protest is not necessarily the same as lawful protest".

"We have seen examples on both sides that peaceful protest is not necessarily the same as lawful protest," the commission said.

"We have seen examples on both sides of unsuccessful efforts to maintain control over hooligan elements who own little allegiance to the principles or issues involved.

"They should and must be explicitly condemned and discouraged by everyone as a help to no side and a barrier to the eventual resolution of the overall problem."

The Parades Commission welcomed the Orange Order's offer to engage through mediators in the process involving South African mediator Mr Brian Currin to resolve the Drumcree dispute.

Noting their readiness to nominate representatives of the Portadown District to engage with the residents in a civic forum, it said it would be useful to have further clarification as to who those might be.

But it concluded: "There is no doubt that Portadown District has demonstrated, as we noted above, a very real, concerned and, we believe, genuine desire to find a resolution to the Drumcree issue.

"We unreservedly welcome their undertakings to cancel all rallies, protest parades and other related activities; to continue to engage with Brian Currin; to urge others towards a peaceful resolution without violence; to take part in any civic forum; and to have a limited parade.

"The problem lies in the sequence they seek - namely a change of determination for July 9, following which all these undertakings would be implemented, in contrast to our road map which envisaged a number of events occurring before and leading to a parade.

"Having considered all the available information against the factors contained in our Guidelines document, we confirm our decision detailed in the determination dated July 3, 2000."

The decision came hours after Portadown District Master Mr Harold Gracey refused to condemn loyalist violence in the wake of the original ban on the march.

Mr Gracey told the BBC at Drumcree: "I am not going to condemn violence because (Sinn Fein leader) Gerry Adams never condemns it."

"I am not saying I am happy with violence. I never have been and anyone who knows me knows that but this country, the Protestant people of this country and the loyalist community are sick to death of what is happening to this country and have been over the past 30 years."

He said he had warned Mr Currin, who has been attempting to establish a talks process between the rival sides, that if they were barred from marching, then he should leave.

"If they let us down (the road) on July 9, then anything is possible but if they don't, I told him he may as well pack his bags and go back to South Africa," he said.

SDLP minister in the Stormont executive Ms Brid Rodgers said Mr Gracey's refusal to condemn the violence would be deplored by unionists and nationalists across the province.

Sinn Fein's MLA Ms Dara O'Hagan claimed Mr Gracey's comments proved "how far gone and how lost the Orange Order, particularly in Portadown, is on this issue".

- PA News
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