Resolution can only be through dialogue
Gerry Adams calls for ``inclusive and direct dialogue between
marchers and residents in order to achieve a voluntary
accommodation of all contentious parades.''
At this point in the controversy over Orange Parades I want to
outline Sinn Féin's point of view of the current crisis. Let me
begin by reiterating Sinn Féin's position on the issues
underpinning the current difficulties.
- Sinn Féin upholds the right of the Loyal Orders to march. There
are over three thousand marches by the various loyal orders each
year There are only a small number, less than one per cent, which
nationalists find intolerable.
- In these cases Sinn Féin supports the residents in the host
communities. No march should enter any areas where they are not
wanted. This is not an issue of conflicting rights. It is an
issue of equality - an issue of civil rights.
- Sinn Féin believes that all democrats should stand by the
residents. We believe that all solidarity protests should be
peaceful and disciplined.
- Sinn Féin is for a voluntary accommodation of all contentious
parades. This can only be achieved by inclusive and direct
dialogue.
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The issue of inclusive and direct dialogue, based on equality, is
at the crux of this matter. The Orangemen refuse to talk. They
refuse to accept the rights of nationalists to be consulted or
for them to chose their own representatives
|
The issue of inclusive and direct dialogue, based on equality, is
at the crux of this matter. The Orangemen refuse to talk. They
refuse to accept the rights of nationalists to be consulted or
for them to chose their own representatives.
In other words they refuse to come to terms with the reality that
if there is to be truly a new era then no group has the right to
dominate another group. I accept this is a difficult concept for
unionism and Orangeism to embrace at this time.
This statelet was establised as an Orange State and the Orange
Order was the cement which held unionism, of all classes and
social groupings, together. The Orange Order is a sectarian,
anti-Catholic organisation which has members well placed in all
of the institutions of the state - the various unionist and
loyalist parties, the civil service, the judiciary, the RUC,
through the Churches and sections of the business community. It
has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. It is
against change. It has chosen the marches issue as the
battlefield on which it intends to rally all those elements who
are against equality and change.
The growing confidence of the nationalist section of our people,
efforts to implement an equality agenda, and the need to build a
new society on this island is seen by Orangeism as a threat to
its position. It is presented by its leaders as a threat to the
Protestant way of life. It is not. But it is only through
dialogue that the two sides, that is those of us who want change
and those who feel threatened by change, will get to understand
each others positions.
So, the main objective of all who wish to see these matters
resolved must be to bring about dialogue.
The responsibility upon the British government must be to uphold
the rights of all citizens to be free from sectarian harassment.
If it genuinely means to do this then the British government
risks alienating substantive elements of unionism, if only on a
temporary basis. So London, and the establishment on this island,
have only come to this proposition reluctantly as an example of
other years on Garvaghy Road testify.
The temptation now is for the pressure to be put on the residents
because it will be suggested, as it has been already, that they
need to make concessions to Orangeism rather than risk David
Trimble's position. This ignores his responsibility as recently
elected First Minister designate.
This type of pressure on the residents also ignores the rights of
the host communities to equality, justice and freedom from
sectarian harassment as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement. Mr
Trimble's new position, achieved through his support for the Good
Friday Agreement, with all of these positions, compels him to
take a non-partisan position on these matters and a pro-active
role in seeking their resolution.
He cannot refuse to talk. Only last week the representatives of
all of the political parties in this state, including many orange
leaders, were present at the inaugural meeting of the shadow
Assembly. Unionists, including Orange members sit in local
government with representatives of all of the other parties, and
do business with them. The same thing must happen now if a
voluntary accommodation is to be found to the current crisis.
The Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition have already put forward a
five point initiative to resolve the stand-off at Garvaghy Road.
Unfortunately this was rejected by the Unionists and the Orange
Order. I would appeal to them to reconsider this initiative or to
propose an alternative. In any case I would ask them to enter
into dialogue because without dialogue an accommodation is
impossible. With dialogue a solution is always a possibility.
In conclusion, I want to reiterate my call for all democrats to
support the residents in the beleaguered nationalist areas,
particularly on the Garvaghy Road. No community should have to
endure the demonisation which the residents of Garvaghy Road or
the Lower Ormeau Road are subjected to or the annual siege which
these communities have to suffer.
There can be no backing down now in the face of pressure and
threats from the massed ranks of Orangeism. The current difficult
phase must be managed calmly and with an eye to the future. We
must come down on the right side of history. And the right side
of history is the side of equality and change. We cannot expect
those who fear change to come on board until they know that they
cannot stop it. Only when this is clear will they seek to play a
role in shaping it. I have always made it clear that the best way
to bring about change is by managing it in a shared way. That is
the challenge facing us all today.''
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