Time for direct dialogue
Proximity talks involving representatives of the Garvaghy Road
residents and the Orange Order in Portadown broke down on Tuesday
21 July without success.
Progress in the talks was made impossible by the refusal of the
Orange Order to countenance entering the same room to talk, even
indirectly through an independent chairperson, with members of
the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition.
A chance for progress has once again foundered on the rocks of
Orange bigotry. A refusal to see Catholics or nationalists as
equal citizens lies at the heart of the insistence of Orange
representatives that they have no obligation to talk to their
neigbours in order to tackle issues of mutual concern.
Proposals made by the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition to the
British government and the Orange Order included the
establishment of a civic forum to address the social, economic,
cultural and political divisions in Portadown and the
establishment of fully-funded programmes which would tackle
social and economic neglect and discrimination.
These proposals were not matched by the Orange Order. Instead it
doggedly insisted on securing a march down the Garvaghy Road this
year and sought absolute guarantees in relation to marches in
future years.
As the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition pointed out this week
the real conflict at Drumcree this year has been between the
Orange Order and the British government. The British government
stated that it would uphold the ruling of the Parades Commission.
Despite this the residents entered proximity talks in good faith
and stated their open minded approach in reference to future
years. They got short shrift from the Orange Order who showed a
total inability to get involved in serious dialogue.
The recent Orange rally in Portadown heard local District Master
Harold Gracey inform supporters that the Orange Order no longer
needed thousands of Orangemen on the hill at Drumcree. He added
that the battle would be fought in the towns and villages across
the Six Counties. Increasingly the focus is shifting to Derry
where the Apprentice Boys are insisting on marching the full
length of the city walls depite objections from nationalist
residents and the disruption and violence the march has caused in
recent years.
A civic forum met in Derry on Wednesday night. It is attended by
Apprentice Boys and members of the Bogside Residents' Committee
but the Apprentice Boys have continued to insist there will be no
direct dialogue. Nevertheless, direct dialogue between
nationalist residents and the loyal orders and the acceptance of
equality of treatement between the various traditions in Ireland
are the only realistic way forward in the marches issue.
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