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Robinson in Drumcree move: First Minister invites both sides for talks
Saturday, 4 July 2009
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Northern Ireland’s first minister has said he will meet with both sides in the ongoing Drumcree dispute.
Peter Robinson said he had invited senior Portadown Orangemen and members of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition to meet separately with him to discuss a “possible and agreed basis” for a resolution of the issue.
“I have written to both the Orange District and the residents group in good faith and I hope that they will feel able to respond in a positive manner. By demonstrating a commonsense approach, I am certain that we can find a way through on this issue,” he said.
“I will do all I can to help progress this matter to a consensual conclusion but I would be equally content if in the preliminary discussions the two parties agree on some other approach or arrangement which might reach the outcome that everyone in Portadown and indeed throughout Northern Ireland wishes to see.”
Mr Robinson paid tribute to the hard work put in “on the ground” to help parades pass off peacefully.
“As a community we have advanced greatly but real progress must be based on mutual respect and understanding of our differences including those which touch on our rich cultural and historical perspectives,” he said.
Meanwhile, Portadown’s Orangemen have promised another peaceful Drumcree Sunday with the controversial parade just over 24 hours away.
With the homeward parade via Garvaghy Road banned again, District Master Darryl Hewitt said: “Of course it will be peaceful — but we will make our usual strong protest when we are stopped at police lines after the service.”
The event has been totally peaceful since the turn of the Millennium, in contrast to the violent scenes that flashed around the world in the late 1990s.
Mr Hewitt’s non-violent stance has been supported by the new church’s new rector, the Rev Gary Galway.
“Violence helps nobody,” Mr Galway said, who has advocated direct talks between the two side.
“I know that the Orangemen turned down talks originally and now the Garvaghy Road side is not in agreement. But that is the only way to settle a dispute that I would dearly love to see resolved.”
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I assume all the previous posters are all personally either garvaghy road residents or orange order members who wish to continue to march along this particular route ?, if not i do not see what your problem is it is none of your business it is between the residents and the marchers, No One Else. As for "community harmony" it would actually be improved if the situation could be resolved and both sides accommodated, it would appear that you would rather have one "side" get their own way, Peace ???
Posted by Sean L | 05.07.09, 15:45 GMT
the orange order doesnt need mr robinson sticking his nose in it's about time the order stood up to the garvagy rd and if they dont like it tough we shuold let the world know that we arent taking any more of it
Posted by ulsterman | 05.07.09, 11:37 GMT
To Tony - the marches themselves are not sectarian, but people's attitude towards them often is. What is needed is not some sort of blanket ban on what people are entitled to think of as their tradition, what is required is for people to demonstrate tolerance on both sides - which doesn't mean Orange men on the Garvaghy Road waving Ulster flags BTW, we need common sense too - but this will never end until both sides learn to live with each other's tradition, instead of trying to supress it
Posted by Gracey | 05.07.09, 11:08 GMT
Come off it Mr Robinson!!!! Your sole purpose is to facilitate an Orange Order march where it is not wanted. Why does the OO persist with these "coat trailing" sectarian and deeply offensive parades?
Posted by Terence | 05.07.09, 07:53 GMT
I understood that we had moved forward and that there was to be respect for other communities. The posts clearly contradict this sentiment.
Typically people who go on and on about sectarianism and bigotry appear to display these traits, perhaps more than many others!
Posted by robbo | 04.07.09, 22:34 GMT
If the march took place using an alternate route for the past few years without incident, surely that is the obvious way to continue.If i lived on Garvaghy i certainly wouldnt want civil servants doing a jig and prancing in a triumphant manner as it has been in the past. Both sides are using this as a pawn in a political chess game for the past lot of years. Sit back awhile and both sides extend the hand of friendship and later on....who knows......In the meantime..peace perfect peace.
Posted by billy | 04.07.09, 19:32 GMT
Can all involved not just wise up, grow up and maybe get a life? Talk about a pointless waste of time energy and money. Who cares, this is the 21st century, all this carry-on has had its day. It's over guys (orangemen and residents) wake up and smell the coffee. What does it take for you to clue in??
What will be gained by a bunch of guys in bowler hats and sashes around their necks walking down a road to irritate a bunch of residents who simply don't want them there. Smarten up.
Posted by ex-pat | 04.07.09, 18:36 GMT
Why do they not stop all these parades,it is so infantile,or is that the mentality of the people of northern ireland.
Go and get educated.
Posted by ben | 04.07.09, 18:36 GMT
Please remember that residents do not own the road - it is not up to them who passes along it. The parade should take place, with adequate security measures and trouble makers should be dealt with according to law.
Posted by Alex | 04.07.09, 18:18 GMT
It has a look of desperation about it. Could it be that the election results and the downward spiral of the DUP, the expenses and Ian Paisley Jrs antics is the real reason? Did Peter ever involve himself in this before?
Posted by Merit | 04.07.09, 17:39 GMT
No way should this parade take place. There is too great a risk to community harmony. Why do the Orangemen have to persist in marching down this road?
Posted by Patrick Murphy | 04.07.09, 14:27 GMT
The solution has been found and has been very effective for the last decade so lets hope they use the same solution for the rest of time
Posted by Sean | 04.07.09, 13:37 GMT
Mr Robinson would be acting more responsibly if he called for an end to all sectarian/political parades on both sides, especially with the tax payer picking up the tab last year of £5m.
Continued progress will only be made if the manifestations of sectarianism are reduced.
Posted by Tony | 04.07.09, 12:08 GMT
Why is Robinson getting involved? What is there to talk about? The residents don't want the march. The parade isn't being stopped altogether...the marchers just need to use an alternative route. It's been banned for the last 12 years so I think the Orange order needs to stop going over this issue every year. The Orange Order keeps going on about 'tradition' as if that somehow excuses actions that are offensive to others. The march has been banned for the last 12 years - isn't that a 'tradition'?
Posted by joanna | 04.07.09, 08:38 GMT