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Gerry Adams rejoins the debate on disputed parades
Friday, 19 February 2010
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Twenty-four hours after loyalist leader Jackie McDonald urged Orangemen to walk away from the Drumcree dispute, Gerry Adams has again entered the marching debate.
In his weekly blog for the Belfast Media Group, the Sinn Fein president warned that society “cannot afford the negative and unsustainable political, financial and social costs from parading disputes”.
Both McDonald and Adams have said there should be no march on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown without the consent of local residents.
Their comments come as a Stormont working group gets ready to report on “a new and improved framework” to rule on parades.
“There are over three thousand Orange marches in the north every year,” Adams writes.
“Generally speaking they pass off without any great fuss, not least because of the tolerance of everybody else. There are a small number of contentious parades which for years caused considerable difficulties.
“One of the big problems incidentally touched on by a loyalist leader Jackie McDonald this week is that the Orange would march into an area where they were unwelcome and leave everybody else to deal with the consequences in the weeks and months afterwards.”
In an interview with this newspaper yesterday, UDA brigadier McDonald attacked “triumphalism” linked to marches, and also criticised Sinn Fein’s involvement with protests, saying that had “polluted” the atmosphere.
In his blog, Adams writes: “That the lid was generally kept on some of these areas is down to local residents and Sinn Fein representatives.
“But there has also been good steady work done by others on the unionist side, including sensible people in loyalist and community organisations.
“Irrespective of the differences between us there is clearly a need to focus on how to resolve the remaining handful of contentious parades in a spirit of mutual respect.”
In Portadown and on the lower Ormeau Road in Belfast, McDonald believes that should involve Orangemen walking away.
Adams says the challenge is “to go beyond settling contentious parades”. “We need to build a new relationship of tolerance and respect,” he writes.
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Is in not Time to leave the Past behind, and think of the future.
And not to rubber stamp you way on others, but to rally yourselves together,for the common good of your children,for they will inherit when we are gone. I weep for you all
are we are not of the same flesh and blood.For Ireland is not England neither is England Ireland but we love you and hope we can always remain brothers.
Posted by A R Thompson | 07.03.10, 09:37 GMT
To Hand of peace , not everyone wants to move forward and forget the past.
There has been a Bloody Sunday inquiry that has cost millions and has dragged up the past.
There are now calls for an inquiry into some killings that took place in Ballymurphy in the 1970s.
Are you sure everyone want sto move on ?
Posted by Steve | 21.02.10, 07:30 GMT
To Pragmatist , how come the ball is in the Orange Order's court ?
Why is it not in the residents court , it takes two to tango.
Billigerance does not work , that it correct and that applies to both sides not just the Orange Order.
Posted by Steve | 21.02.10, 07:27 GMT
let twelve of them march down the road, no flags, no drums. Job done. and we can all get on with our lives and there will bo no spectators drunk out of their faces from either sections of the colliseum to start a riot as per usual
Posted by Gregory | 20.02.10, 19:05 GMT
Quote "If the Garvaghy Road residents stayed in their houses and turned up their TVs, they parades would pass by peacefully without incident."
OK, so will the residents of the Shankill (which by the way is a Irish Gaelic word for Old Church) please go into their houses, pull their curtains & turn up their TVs so that the AOH can march up there on their way to Church in The Ardoyne next Easter Sunday. Oh by the way we hope you won't mind us carrying lots of Tricolor (Green & Orange traditions joined by White) Flags, playing & singing Republican songs which celebrate our culture
Posted by Paul | 19.02.10, 21:54 GMT
If as Gerry states, there is tolerance and respect then logically there should be a parade on Garvaghy every other year! One year would suit the residents, the next suiting the Orangemen!
Posted by Robbo | 19.02.10, 18:49 GMT
So Centaur, you sit in your house all day surrounded by the RUC unable to leave your estate, sometimes your own front door. But it's nothing to worry about as you have your trusty TV to keep you company and drown out the sectarian songs and chanting of the baying mob outside, the rooftop height overflying Army helicopters, etc, etc...
To expect your typical Sunday and to live your life free of harassment is showing your "intolerance" to the mob outside!!!
I grew up on the route of the Tour of the North parade so don't condescend me or embarrass yourself by telling me it's "an expression of Protestant culture" or that it's not exactly as I have described above.
Posted by Bren | 19.02.10, 18:36 GMT
How many of the thousands of Loyal Order parades each year are contentious, Centaur. Please tell me.
Then tell me why the Orange Order needs to march through areas they are not wanted.
"If the Garvaghy Road residents stayed in their houses and turned up their TVs, they parades would pass by peacefully without incident."
Nothing like having the rights of people at heart when you force them to stay within the confines of their own homes, eh, Centaur.
"March where you are wanted not where you want" is a more tolerant attitude for some to adopt.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 19.02.10, 18:20 GMT
billyboy once more your intolerence of anything else but your own bigoted ideas show you up for what you are a blatent sectarian. if people want to move on ,forget the past, are indeed willing to do this, you will have to learn, there are people in your community want to extend the hand of friendship, and move on, you will always be in the cage of your own making unable to escape your own bigotry,and dieing of hatred.
Posted by hand of peace | 19.02.10, 17:10 GMT
Mr Adams would appear to be contradicting himself. He says "not least because of the tolerance of everybody else" in relation to marches passing off peacefully and then goes on to mention "the Orange would march into an area where they were unwelcome and leave everybody else to deal with the consequences".
Surely the key word here is "tolerance"? If the Garvaghy Road residents stayed in their houses and turned up their TVs, they parades would pass by peacefully without incident.
Given that most (if not al) the houses on the Garvaghy Road present their gable ends to the road, residents will only be "offended" by the sight of Orange matchers IF they deliberately come out to be so offended!
Posted by Centaur | 19.02.10, 16:23 GMT
ban all parades no exceptions , loyalist republican , anti war gay pride BAN THEM ALL lets be parade free and everyone get back to doing what you should be doing (LIVING )
Posted by community worker | 19.02.10, 14:35 GMT
Why can no one see the forrest for the trees? Drumcree has been resolved and its been very succesfull as there has been no violence for many years
Posted by Sean | 19.02.10, 14:33 GMT
That's strange! Only a couple of years ago he praised those who had brought about the disputes.
Posted by John from Antrim | 19.02.10, 14:29 GMT
So Gerry, society 'cannot afford the negative and unsustainable political, financial and social costs from parading disputes' but can afford dual eductional systems and the promotion of languages which the majority of the population have no interest in and little practical use? Good to see that you are consistent, at the very least.
Posted by Bemused | 19.02.10, 14:24 GMT
The ball is in the orangemen's court to make a contribution to change.
Billigerance does not work.
Posted by Pragmatist | 19.02.10, 13:51 GMT
It has never been within Gerry or Stormont SF's failings to allow or dis-allow the orange disorder to march down Garvaghy or Ormeau Roads. If SF thought they could have got away with it, they would have consented to all orange marches. But thankfully, nationalists saw through the smoke screen and dodgy dealing and warned Stormont SF in no uncertain terms. One has to smile at Gerry trying to make out he has a say in it all. I for one am no longer fooled. I doubt very much if anyone in nationalist's communities are either.
Posted by billyboy | 19.02.10, 13:49 GMT