Telling the world the truth of Orange sectarianism
Since Saturday the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition has
broadcast regular bulletins to the world via the Internet. Here
is an edited version of how the besieged community has seen
events.
Saturday 4 July
2:00pm
The residents of the Nationalist Community in Portadown are now
trapped inside what the British troops are calling a sterile
zone. There are only a few entrances and exits to the area. The
massive military machine that moved in brought with it barbed
wire, large steel screens and diggers. There are troops occupying
the St John the Baptist High School and local residential homes
right outside the barricades are now occupied by soldiers.
The residents remain hopeful as they wait out the day and watch
the continued buildup. The local community will gather at 6pm at
the top of the Garvaghy Road to attend a vigil and to show the
rest of Portadown and the world that they desire a peaceful
conclusion to the situation.
Representatives of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition held an
hour long meeting with British Security Minister Adam Ingram this
afternoon in Portadown. The residents sought reassurance that the
Parades Commission decision would be upheld. They also expressed
their disappointment that the Orange Order had failed to
acknowledge the generosity of the proposals made by the Coalition
yesterday.
The Minister told the residents that the government would still
try to secure a peaceful resolution of the issue, but stated that
it was the government's intention that the Parades Commission
decision and the Rule of Law would be upheld.
10:15pm
Two Catholic youths have been attacked by a group of loyalists on
the Ballyoran Hill, which leads onto the Garvaghy Road. In order
for this to happen, they had to go through an RUC checkpoint. The
same RUC checkpoint also permitted a large convoy of loyalist
cars to enter the Nationalist enclave and provoke local people.
An official complaint has already been lodged with the RUC.
Sunday 5 July
8:00am
The night passed quietly with no trouble in the hemmed-in
nationalist area of Portadown. The RUC patrols the area in
armoured trucks. The residents for the most part slept
peacefully, many in anticipation of a long day ahead.
International Observers remained on duty throughout the night
monitoring every major corner and military outpost in the area.
Early this morning on a live interview with Radio Five in London,
one of the Coalition members explained that the only experience
the Catholic youth of this community have of Protestants is being
hemmed in once a year, having their mothers and grandmothers
batoned off the side of the road, and having to face threats,
obscenities and sometimes stones when they try to go into town.
This behaviour, she said, is what breeds sectarianism and is what
the residents want to free their children from.
The interviewer asked why the residents did not just go inside
their houses and shut their doors and let the march through. She
explained that this was not a way they could teach dignity and
humanity to their children or demonstrate for them a peaceful
protest of sectarianism and the abhorrent way they have been
treated as unequal human beings by the Orange Order and the crown
forces. As she tried to discuss the fact that the crux of the
issue was not the parade itself but rather the underlying
attitude that accompanies it, she was interrupted several times
by the interviewer and then he abruptly cut her off, leaving her
in mid-sentence.
The attitude of some members of the media seems to continue to
revolve around demonising the residents and focusing on the
``plight'' of the Orangemen.
Despite the odds, most residents believe there will be little
trouble today, as the army seems prepared to keep the Orangemen
out. The scepticism arises when the residents look to the days
and nights ahead. Memories of 1996 keep everyone wondering how
strong the pressure might get. There is relative calm.
At this hour last year, the people had already been brutally
beaten off the road by the RUC and trampled underfoot by troops
who cleared the road to allow the march to go through. Some
residents who were up early this morning quietly discussed their
recollections of that terror-filled morning and commented on how
different it seems this year.
Near one of the routes that the Orangemen could try to use to get
into the area, a lone Protestant man has set up a prayer and fast
vigil. He is joined periodically by other Protestants and
Catholics who by their very position on the road reject the
triumphalism of the Orange Order, and by their actions
demonstrate the true nature of both religious traditions. This
one example of protest against the sectarianism that has
underpinned the operation of the Six Counties for so many years
shows the residents of the area that there is still a chance to
overcome the divisions and work towards a future together with
their neighbours.
On this quiet morning, as the people begin to gather at the
Drumcree Community Centre and at the Garvaghy Road, fear is
slowly giving way to halting hope.
11:00am
Thousands of loyalists have already massed at the churchyard and
the crowd marching up to Drumcree is growing. Observers have
already noted that there are 2000 marching with the County Antrim
Lodge alone.
1:30pm
Upwards of 6000 Orangemen and supporters gathered around the
Drumcree church and are forming up to march up to the Drumcree
Road, now that the service has concluded. Thousands of those
gathered stood and waited as far as 800-1000 yards from the
church, not even participating in the service that is meant to be
the crux of today's event for the Orangemen. All week supporters
of the parade have insisted that the purpose for the day was to
attend the service with the community, but only a small portion
of the Orange crowd went near the church.
As the parade passed St. John's church participants danced and
jumped up and down in mock stomping of Robert Hamill's head and
body. They called out taunts celebrating his murder and saying
``what about Robert Hamill?'' and laughing. (Robert Hamill, an
innocent Catholic man, was stomped and bludgeoned to death last
year by a gang of loyalists in the Portadown city centre).
Observers are spread throughout the community and residents are
gathered at vantage points where they can watch the crowds at the
church. Most are extremely uncertain that the government, police
and military will carry through their promise to uphold the
Parades Commission decision.
Many are gathered in the community centre watching the news.
Despite being the community under siege, they know no more about
the situation than the rest of the world.
2:45pm
International Observers are reporting back conversations with
British army officers about the numbers of Orangemen and their
supporters in and around the parade. The Army was told to expect
3-5000 marchers this morning for the parade. But reports from the
town centre where the Orangemen gathered before the march put the
numbers at that time near 7,000. The Army said that they expected
an additional 3,000 to enter the march after it started, and then
4-500 random additions as it went along.
The Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition spokesperson, Breandan Mac
Cionnaith, Assemblywoman Dara O Hagan, Assemblyman Francie Molloy
and Councillor Joe Duffy were denied access to fixed media
positions on the Drumcree Road this afternoon. The four
representatives had been requested by the media to facilitate a
number of requests for interviews at the fixed positions.
RUC officers blocked their way and denied them access. They
refused to give any reason and two senior officers refused to
identify themselves when requested to do so. Dara O'Hagan had
previously been at that media position and had been given access
a second time, but was suddenly stopped from proceeding. State
Senator Tom Hayden and Congressman Donald Payne attempted to
intervene, but without success. Clearly, the RUC are attempting
to ensure that the Nationalist representatives are denied access
to the media. Another case of pure censorship.
Residents' anxiety is increasing. Every barricade around the
community has been constructed so as to be removed in a matter of
minutes. All the vehicles are facing the residents, rather than
the Orange Order, just like they did last year and in 1996.
Observers and residents report that some military vehicles and
Saracens have pulled away from various blockades around the area.
The situation is very similar to 1996, where a standoff of the
Orange Order involved the batoning of nationalist people off
their road while ``negotiations'' were taking place amongst the top
church leaders in a nearby factory. That standoff concluded four
days later with the RUC capitulating to the pressure and violence
of the Orange Order and its supporters and resulted in the death
of Michael McGoldrick (a Nationalist man, father of one toddler
and expecting a second at the time). There were injuries to
countless numbers of residents in the 1996 RUC onslaught.
Observers on the Garvaghy Road today who were present in 1996
have noticed that the women of the community especially, who have
to bear the burden of responsibility for their families as well
as caretakers for the entire community and the vast numbers of
foreign visitors present in the area, are very apprehensive and
weary. They are hoping that their worst fears do not materialise.
The observers comment that the community, having been through
this situation three years running, is extremely organised and
functioning with absolute cooperation and integrity. All problems
that arise are taken care of expediently and the stewards are
extremely vigilant, organised and making wise and careful
decisions about the care of the community during this tense time.
Finally, the observers also note the similarities to 1996 in the
atmosphere, military situation and news reports today and some
are apprehensive themselves about what the outcome may be.
High profile visitors, including a US Congressman, a US State
Senator, Canadian MP's, South African delegates and member of the
British Labour Government, are all participating in the
observation of the situation and trying to intervene in difficult
circumstances. The rest of the International Observers are highly
organised and continue to canvass the area constantly and call in
reports. Everyone continues to wait and hope that they won't hear
the blare of the community's emergency siren this year.
Monday 6 July
10:45am
Things remained relatively calm in Portadown overnight. The
Nationalist residents are doing their best to maintain an
atmosphere of normality and go about their daily business. Most
have gone into work this morning while International Observers
continue to keep watch on the different military barricades in
the area. The Residents Coalition remains in contact with
representatives of Sinn Fein and the SDLP, maintaining open lines
of communication with leaders of the nationalist community.
The residents wish to thank the many people around the world who
have sent in their messages of support during these last days.
Letters of encouragement and solidarity have been received from
as far away as Norway, South Africa, Australia and North America.
Other community and residents groups throughout Ireland have been
the backbone of support for the beleaguered Nationalist residents
of Portadown. The community has been bolstered by knowledge of
all those outside who are keeping watch on the situation and who
are advocates of equality and fairness.
10:45pm
Monday remained relatively quiet. Many were worried at the
Parades Commission announcement that the Lower Ormeau Road march
would be forced through. There are fears that this would give
further impetus to the Orangemen to try and force their way
through the Garvaghy Road.
As darkness approaches, activity has increased. The Orangemen who
left their encampment to go to work have all returned, with the
numbers swelling to the thousands now. For the last six hours
they have been playing their pipes and beating their drums, in
actions reminiscent of 1996. Despite the fact that it is an
illegal gathering outside the Drumcree church, the Orangemen and
their supporters are allowed free travel in and out, and they are
enjoying chipper vans and marquees.
In a disturbing development, the Ballynafeigh Orange Lodge has
joined the Drumcree standoff. This is the Lodge that was just
given permission to march the Lower Ormeau. The connections are
all too familiar to the nationalist residents here.
The RUC phoned the local taxi service to tell them that they'd
received a threat from the LVF against the taxi drivers, and so
the service has shut down. All bus and rail service across the
north has also been halted.
Less than a mile from the Orangemen, inside the ring of steel
that continues to surround the Garvaghy Road community, tension
is palpable. People are extremely apprehensive as darkness falls,
and many are much more alert than they were during the day. Hope
is a valuable commodity this evening.
11:00pm
In a live BBC radio interview tonight, another member of the
Residents Coalition was cut off and censored. The Coalition
member was telling the story of a former Protestant neighbour who
lived next door to her here in the Garvaghy Road. In 1996 he
marched up to the church with his fellow Orangemen, but when the
parade was forced through, he realized the sensitivities of his
Nationalist neighbours at that time, and he refused to march down
the road.
Tuesday 7 July
7:20am
At 6:45 the Orangemen began gathering at the top of Park Road,
about 100 of them at the Tunnel Bridge, about 50-60 of them at
the Corcrain, and over 200 at the roundabout outside St. John's
Chapel. Project Children, an organisation that sends children
from the area to America can't get their caravan out and they
will miss their flight. Community workers had to put the fourteen
children in five private cars and add several more cars for
protection to drive the children safely to Belfast to get their
plane. Local Councillor Joe Duffy had to conduct heavy
negotiations with the RUC before they would agree to help get the
children through. All Nationalist residents are being blocked
from getting to their work. Helicopters are hovering low over the
Nationalist housing estates, and the community is now on full
alert, fearing for the worst.
9:00am
This morning's blockade preventing access to and from Nationalist
areas of Portadown is believed to be stage two of the five point
loyalist battle plan which will culminate on Friday. Stage two
will involve blockades being mounted on the Nationalist area and
removed again only to be reinstated at lightning notice.
Information we have received indicates that the Orange Order
strategy has been designed to force the Nationalist community in
Portadown into submission through isolation.
10:30am
Residents are extremely tense and the entire area is now on high
alert as it has just been announced there will be a loyalist
rally in the town at noon. The shops have been told to close
because of the rally, and the DHSS has taken the threat seriously
and excused everyone from the Nationalist community from `signing
on' at Jervis Street for at least a fortnight because the office
in the midst of a loyalist area.
The residents are extremely worried and everyone is very anxious.
However, people are remaining calm and doing their best to keep
the community together and informed.
9:30pm
The residents are looking forward to a community festival
beginning on Wednesday. The gathering of local musicians, street
theatre, fun for children, including face painting, and a new
mural being painted are all meant to lift the spirits of the
residents during this tense time. Feelings of anxiety and fear
continue to mount due to the intimidation of the loyalists
blockading the Nationalist area. Community workers are
organising the event to help alleviate the growing strain of the
siege that holds the residents hostage to the Orange Order
encampent less than a mile away.
11:30pm
Hundreds of members of the Nationalist Community gathered at the
Drumcree Community Centre tonight to discuss the current
situation. To questions about being trapped inside tomorrow, Mac
Cionnaith responded that the community would not be starved or
bribed into submission. Community groups from other parts of the
six counties have committed to bring food and supplies to give
needed relief to the residents and the neighbourhood. Everyone
was relieved to hear this, most knowing that their access to work
and the town centre will most likely be completely restricted in
the coming days.
The people inside the ring of steel are remaining calm despite
their fears. The community meeting bolstered spirits and the
strong unity within the area.
Helicopters continue to hover low over the community centre and
nationalist housing estates. There has been little sleep and hope
wears thin as the hours creep towards the fourth day of the siege
of the Garvaghy Road.
GRRC Website: http://members.aol.com/garvaghy/
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