Ballycastle residents don't `host' Orange Order
North Antrim Sinn Féin Councillor Phil Mc Guigan is calling for
inclusive dialogue and greater consultation with the Ballycastle
community, specifically on all future Orange parades in the
predominantly nationalist town.
Mc Guigan praised the local residents of Ballycastle for their
continued restraint and their most dignified protest against
Orange Order parades, especially given the intensifying backdrop
of an ongoing pogrom against nationalists in the North Antrim
area and throughout the Six Counties.
McGuigan said that repeated Orange Order reference to villages
and towns ``hosting'' their demonstrations are wearing thin on
nationalists. ``It is clear to any reasonable onlooker that the
local residents of Ballycastle do not `host ` the provocative
Orange Order demonstrations in their village,'' he said. ``Many
such `host' communities throughout the North of Ireland are
placed under what amounts by any civilised standards to a siege
of fear.''
Mc Guigan said local residents' freedom of movement is restricted
and many others are are so intimidated by the Orange Order siege
in Ballycastle that they do not leave their homes when such
imposed demonstrations and their military entourage come to town.