Garvaghy protest call
by Laura Friel
A major protest rally is to be held on the Garvaghy
Road on Sunday 22 March and the Residents Coalition is
calling for mass support.
The rally will provide an opportunity for people across
the country to come and show their solidarity with the
nationalist community in Portadown. Spokesperson for
the Coalition, Breandan MacCionnaith, said, ``We are
urging as many people as possible to come to the
Garvaghy Road in order to send a very clear message to
those in authority that the denial of rights to
nationalists in Portadown or elsewhere should never
again be looked upon as ``the least worst option''.''
The protest call comes as nationalist residents of the
Lower Ormeau Concerned Community together with the
Garvaghy Coalition mount a legal challenge against the
Parades Commission in Belfast's High Court. The hearing
is to take place before the end of the week. Legal
representatives are taking action which will challenge
all four recent appointments, questioning the
independence of the entire Commission.
Gerard Rice of LOCC said the latest developments
confirmed nationalists ``worst fears'' that the present
Parades Commission has been deliberately set up to
guarantee decisions about parades will favour the
Orange Order. ``The Parades Commission under Alistair
Graham could not be further away from the type of
impartial, independent and transparent body recommended
by the North Report,'' said Rice, ``we are now convinced
that the current Commission can play no constructive
role in resolving the issue of contentious parades.''
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