Sinn Fein/IRA orchestrated areas of conflict

This article is by Bro. David Jones spokesman for Portadown District LOL No. 1. and is the full version as printed in the Portadown Times on April 20th, 2001 The opposition to loyal order parades is simply part of the IRA/Sinn Fein strategy to cause community conflict and division…..

As we approach the month of May perhaps only the most optimistic would disagree that a Drumcree VII is unlikely to take place. Certain observations should be made at this time. The situation is often misrepresented. The real problem lies on the Garvaghy road and not at Drumcree. That the brethren of Portadown District LOL No 1 remain at Drumcree is not due to their lack of involvement but is down to the inertia of the Parades Commission and the veto they allow the Garvaghy Road residents concerning the return parade.

In July 1998 this unelected Quango, under the chairmanship of Alistair Graham, prevented Portadown District lodge from completing its return parade to Carleton Street via its traditional route. At the time Alistair Graham pronounced the 'cycle of parades needed to be broken'. Is it not surprising, considering there has not been a parade along the Garvaghy Road since 1997, this phrase and reasoning is no longer used? In fact rather than providing a solution to the perceived difficulties concerning parades the Commission itself has become part of the problem. As a response to this decision by the Parades Commission and the legislation that set it up Portadown District lodge took the action of protest at Drumcree - a democratic right in any society. Regrettably, there are those on the Garvaghy Road who themselves who themselves took part in an illegal road block on the road in 1995, who continue to distort the truth alleging that the Garvaghy Road community is under siege. This is simply not true. In fact since 1998 a series of attacks has been launched against Protestant school children and adults as they travelled along the Garvaghy Road.

Let us not forget that originally Churchill Park, Ballyoran and Woodside were predominantly Protestant. During the 1970s the Protestants, due to a programme of murder, sectarian attacks and intimidation, were forced out. (Unfortunately, the same intimidation continues today at Whitten Close, and Park Road). This polarisation of the community, many believe, was the first stage in a strategy by republicans to effect sectarian division in Portadown. During the next decade Loyal Order parades became the focus of republican attention in Obins Street. Their success in Obin Street led to the illegal blocking of the Garvaghy Road in 1995, resulting in the first Drumcree stand-off.

As Portadown District paraded along the Garvaghy Road in the 1990s the host community frequently subjected them to extreme verbal and physical abuse. Despite this abuse there was no retaliation from the Orange Brethern. Even observers brought in to witness the parade by the Garvaghy-based Drumcree Faith and Justice Group complimented the Orange brethren on their self control and discipline. Since the beginning of the protest in 1998 the Orange men have not simply stood at Drumcree by have participated fully in various processes initiated by the Prime Minister and chaired by Jonathan Powell, Frank Blair, Adam Ingram MP and George Howeth MP. Indeed the Prime Minister told the District Officers when he met them in July 1999 they had been "imaginative and had taken risks in trying to reach a resolution. The most recent set of talks involved Brian Currin, an eminent South Africa lawyer. He stated he was not involved in a process. The Orange delegation withdrew from these talks only when it became clear Currin was reiterating the stance as put forward by the Parades Commission with nothing fresh of innovative to offer. The Parades Commission sponsored none of these processes. Although the legislation allows it to do so it has taken no part in attempting mediation. The Commission has been content to hide behind the processes initiated by the Prime Minister. But during each of these when it came to a point of talking about a parade the Garvaghy Road residents terminated their involvement.

During the talks chaired by Adam Ingram the Orange delegation agreed observers from the Parades Commission should be present to report back to the Commission the level of 'positive and meaningful dialogue' taking place. On learning this the residents objected to the observers refusing to continue until they had left the building. Not long after, the process collapsed with the residents refusing to accept Ingram's impartiality.

The Orange delegation has asked the question, during each process, what more can be done to make the parade more acceptable to the Garvaghy Residents? No viable answer has been forthcoming. The residents have been more prepared to talk about concepts rather than practicalities.

Following the stand-off in 1995 the Twelfth of July morning parade was voluntarily re-routed away from the Garvaghy Road by the Orange. The return parade from Drumcree passed along the Garvaghy Road in silence in case the music was deemed offensive. None of these accommodations has ever been recognised by the residents. Tony Holland, the present chair of the Parades Commission, has stated the Portadown District Lodge representatives must speak with the Commission and the residents face-to-face to resolve the problem.

Although the Portadown District Lodge's legal representative has met with Tony Holland and the Commission and both legal and elected representatives have met with the residents this is deemed not to be sufficient. The Portadown District Lodge delegation has met with all those that it can within the constraints of the policy as laid down by the Grand Lodge of Ireland. That this policy has been the focus of criticism does not mean the Orange delegation has not taken all possible steps to communicate their feelings and position to the other parties involved. One could question the motivation of Tony Holland in laying down pre-conditions on talks to resolve the Garvaghy Road impasse.

We hear the phrase much used concerning 'meaningful dialogue' but how is this quantified and who measures it? Is it not possible for 'meaningful dialogue' to take place even during proximity talks? Indications gleaned from the range of proximity talks to date have not shown any desire by the residents to resolve the problem. And why should they want to? They consider the matter has been resolved as there are 'no Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road'. (In fact, as indicated in an article carried in the Portadown Times on April 6th, 2001, the outward route to Drumcree could become an issue in the future).

The Parades Commission has simply been a conduit to achieve the aim. Proof positive was the reaction of the residents to the Junior Orange Lodge being allowed to parade past Victoria Terrace last May and the situation on the Lower Ormeau Road, Belfast. Simply put, if the Commission rules in favour of the residents the ruling is acceptable, if not, the residents resort to High Court action crying foul!

The 1998 legislation bringing about the Parades Commission was, we believe, fundamentally flawed. It amounts to legalised cultural apartheid. This suited the separatist political dogma of republicans as confirmed by the leader of IRA/Sinn Fein Gerry Adams in a report on the RTE's Prime Time programme when he said, " ask any activist in the North did Drumcree happen by accident and they will tell you - NO."

The Garvaghy Road impasse is not, nor ever has been, anything to do with completing rights over a parade. The history of the Orange parade along the Garvaghy Road shows Portadown District Lodge has never been involved in any confrontation or riot situation with that host community.

In fact the Code of Conduct used by the Orange goes far beyond that even recommended by the Parades Commission. The changes made by the Orange Order to the parade shows they have treated the residents with the utmost respect.

What we had in 1997 was a parade, returning from church in silence, taking 10 minutes to pass, on a Sunday at lunchtime. The opposition to Loyal Order parades by residents' groups became an issue in 1995, coinciding with the IRA ceasefire, did not happen by chance.

It was and is simply part of the IRA/Sinn Fein strategy to cause community conflict and division, especially within the unionist family.