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Nearly a dozen nationalist residents’ organizations have raised concerns that certain parading communities may face disruption if the Orange Order proceeds with its plans to march along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The Orange Order has submitted an application to hold a parade on the upcoming Sunday.
The parade in question, known as the Drumcree parade, has been prohibited from taking place on the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road since 1998. As the Parades Commission reviews the parade application, eleven residents’ groups from various parts of Northern Ireland have come together to show solidarity with those living on Garvaghy Road. These groups issued a joint statement through legal representatives, expressing their unified position.
Among the organizations involved are the Bogside Residents Association from Londonderry, along with the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community and Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents Association, both based in Belfast. Representatives said that over time, they have managed to develop workable compromises regarding Orange Order parades in their neighborhoods. However, they expressed worry that these hard-won agreements might collapse if the Orange Order insists on marching down Garvaghy Road or demands similar parade rights in other Nationalist or Catholic communities. The statement highlighted the willingness of local residents to adopt a generous and genuine approach in negotiating these accommodations, but called for reciprocity from the Orange Order.
Showing support for Garvaghy Road residents, the groups declared, “We pledge our full support and solidarity with the residents of Garvaghy Road in their determination to be free from unwanted and intimidatory Orange Order parades through their area.” Meanwhile, Democratic Unionist Party MP Carla Lockhart criticized Sinn Féin for “resorting to a failed residents’ group strategy as the reality dawns that Drumcree is no longer a ‘closed’ or ‘settled’ issue.” She urged nationalists and republicans to engage constructively with the Portadown District to reach a resolution that respects the rights of all communities, emphasizing that “The days of ‘unionism must give, and nationalism must get’ are over, and the sooner that realisation dawns, the closer we will be to making real progress.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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