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Orange Order to communicate directly with Sinn Fein
Saturday, 20 February 2010
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Today's meeting of the Orange Order’s governing body — the Grand Lodge — is expected to sanction the first direct communication between the institution and Sinn Fein.
The special meeting called to discuss marches is expected to approve a response to the Hillsborough deal’s proposals on disputed parade routes which will be sent to the Parades Working Group which includes Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly, John O’Dowd and Michelle Gildernew.
None of the six-member group is expected to attend the Grand Lodge gathering, although the DUP members — Jeffrey Donaldson, Nelson McCausland and Stephen Moutray — did debate issues surrounding parades with County Grand Lodge officers on Tuesday night.
Today’s meeting was arranged in November last year when it was expected Grand Lodge would be discussing the final report of the group set up under Lord Ashdown to examine possible solutions to parading disputes.
Instead it has only an interim report from Lord Ashdown to respond to but an imminent deadline to meet to let the DUP/Sinn Fein working group know what it thinks about the basic outline in the Hillsborough Deal.
Grand Lodge veterans predict that today’s meeting should last no longer than three hours and expect a clear response to be forwarded to the parades group on Tuesday indicating the Institution’s opposition to the DUP strategy outlined at Brownlow House.
On Thursday the First Minister and Deputy First Minister indicated the final proposals agreed between their two teams of negotiators may not be published which further limits the extent to which Grand Lodge can approve any outline given by the DUP team.
“Robinson and McGuinness are indicating now that they won’t be publishing their agreed outcome, if they reach one, so what is Grand Lodge supposed to give its
verdict on?” one delegate said last night.
“The brief outline in the Hillsborough paper hasn’t been favourably received within the Orange so I doubt Grand Lodge will be persuaded to change its stated policy of not speaking to residents’ groups.”
One possible speaker in favour of the proposals in the Hillsborough Deal is the Rev Mervyn Gibson who as a Deputy Grand Chaplain to the institution is entitled to attend today’s meeting.
The Rev Gibson, who is attached to the Ballymacarrett District in east Belfast, was appointed by First Minister Peter Robinson as an adviser to the Parades Working Group when it was set up.
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The easiest solution is to stick the OO on an airplane to London every 12th of July and let them march up and down past Buckingham Palace to their hearts content.
I'm sure the Monarchy would be only too delighted to deal with them and their loyalty....
Posted by John Q. Public | 24.02.10, 19:41 GMT
There is no such place as our "wee country". N.Ireland is part of the UK. It is not now and never will be a country. On the issue of the OO. It has and always will be the root cause of the problems here. Triumphalism over one's neighbours might seem a good idea but it isn't. Many protestants, especially presbyterians died fighting against English rule in Ireland and for an Ireland were all protestant, catholic and dissenter could co-exist. One of the main reasons the OO was formed was to undermine the United Irishmen and women. It still exists to separate the people of Ireland north and south. It is an abomination in my opinion.
Posted by Terence | 23.02.10, 00:19 GMT
This is good news - people being clear about their problems and saying what they need to solve their problems, is going to make N.I. a place that has a future for its citizens
Posted by Andrew Cathcart | 21.02.10, 11:39 GMT
The Orange Order claim to be a religious group ( at times it would be very easy to question this ). Northern Ireland is just about a 100% Christian land. All Christian people pray to the same God. Why does the Orange Order want to be in the face of Catholics who pray to the same God as they do. It is past time for the Orange Order to reach across the street to their fellow Christians who happen to be Catholics.
Posted by James Doyle | 21.02.10, 00:08 GMT
i think the orange order just dont listen to what sinn fein say they have said in public that orange feet wont walk were nationalists dont want them so what is their to talk about and why has the dup set up a parades committe they dont get the message either garvahy and lower ormeau forget it this great deal robinson done is one way
Posted by norman.d | 20.02.10, 17:38 GMT
good news talk talk talk is good it s a start see what happened in derry city when they talked talk is good
Posted by ray usa | 20.02.10, 17:33 GMT
Why bother? All SF want, is to humiliate the OO. Put on hold the need to walk down the top three most controversial routes. Spend your time and resources developing a better understanding of the 'Order'. If you don't, SF will use your biggest weakness against you: You have too many sectarian's in your ranks and are triumphalist when you get to walk against the residents wishes. SF don't really care about these three of four "interfaces", all they want is an opportunity to bring down the Order.
Posted by Stuart McCarroll | 20.02.10, 15:22 GMT
Not before time.
Posted by ben | 20.02.10, 12:58 GMT
time for the orange order to stop playing into gerry adams hands and getting negative publicity for the protestant people. time to recognize the lower ormeau is now nationalist and stop trying to parade there.
Posted by maxy | 20.02.10, 12:50 GMT
It is shocking to think that the Orange Order may talk to Sinn Fein. However let us remember any talking that is done will be done most likely on a community/local level to sort out parades and not actually in political terms.
I mean the Orange Order cant help the FACT that in some of these areas, Sinn Fein members do live and are included in the community.
Posted by Warren | 20.02.10, 08:24 GMT
Orangemen have the same responsibility as I, or any other person to avoid conflict and promote bridgebuilding. Communication over conflict any day.
Posted by Pragmatist | 20.02.10, 08:16 GMT
talking with sinn fein will accomplish nothing, the residents group in garvachy road have already said they dont speak for them. so who do they speak for on this issue.
Posted by patrick | 20.02.10, 06:47 GMT
I hope the meeting brings compromise. Peace for all in our wee country.
Posted by John | 20.02.10, 03:00 GMT
Talking is the first step to truly understanding other people's points of view and coming to an understanding that everyone can accept, so well done the Orange Order if they do indeed sit down to talk. I still don't think the Order will walk the Drumcree Road, but hopefully they can learn to understand that making that walk doesn't really matter as much as they think it does and that the damage caused by doing it by somehow (miraculously) forcing the issue will more than wipe out any benefit gained from a ten minute walk. This is a molehill that has been made into a mountain, it's just one road out of hundreds that they can walk freely and they look totally unreasonable by persisting for so long. The Order has a place and importance that is unique for an organisation of its type in the Western world, they should realise this and not cut off their noses to spite their faces. That's exactly what they're doing with Drumcree. Wise up gents, you're being your own worst enemies.
Posted by Graham Smyth | 20.02.10, 01:54 GMT