Residents' groups warn parade deals could 'unravel' over Drumcree

NATIONALIST residents’ groups who were formed at the height of tensions surrounding loyalist parades through nationalist areas in the late 1990s, have warned that a parade down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown this weekend could lead to the unravelling of their own deals with the Loyal Orders in their areas.
 
The Orange Order has applied to march down Garvaghy Road on Sunday. The last parade forced through the nationalist district took place in 1997. In the late 1990s several high profile loyalist murders were linked to Orange Order attempts to march along the Garvaghy Road.

The Parades Commission are currently considering the application with the decision due to be published later this week.
 
However, ahead of the decision 11 residents groups have issued a joint statement raising their concerns about the possibility of a parade on the Garvaghy Road. Among the Belfast groups who signed the letter are Lower Ormeau Concerned Community, Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents’ Association, Springfield Residents’ Action Group and
Short Strand Residents’ Association.
 
The letter states: “We the undersigned, representatives of residents' groups/associations across the six counties, have been dealing with contentious Loyal Order and Band parades over the past three decades.
 
“We have invested a lot of time and energy in upholding the rights of local residents to live free from sectarian intimidation, while developing accommodations around parades through Nationalist/Catholic areas.
 
“Our concern is that such accommodation could unravel if the Orange Order continue to insist on parading down Garvaghy Road, or indeed pursue the same demands in other Nationalist/Catholic areas. Local residents have demonstrated a genuine and indeed generous approach in reaching such accommodations. We believe that there needs to be reciprocation in their approach from the Orange Order.

"We pledged 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.”