Raving and Ranting, the Orange carnival continues
BY LAURA FRIEL
For once, Portadown Orangeman David Jones almost said it all. Speaking in
the wake of violent clashes between loyalists and the RUC following Orange
Order demonstrations in Portadown at the weekend, Jones told Orange
supporters: ``I'm not asking you to throw petrol bombs, pipe bombs, I'm not
asking you to go out and assault, kill and murder...''
Since Reverend William Bingham's acknowledgement of Orangemen's culpability
in the Quinn murders last year, it was the closest admission by any member
of the Orange Order that sectarian violence is directly linked to their
stance at Drumcree. A few hours earlier the Grand Orange Lodge had been
less honest.
In a statement read out during four ``Mini Twelfth'' parades culminating in
rallies encircling the Garvaghy Road, the Grand Lodge complained of being
``vilified'', ``demonised'' and ``blamed for events we had no part in nor would
ever condone.''
Reaffirming their support ``for the great principles of freedom of movement
and freedom of assembly,'' the Grand Lodge called for support of the
Portadown Orange district's stance at Drumcree. The Grand Lodge stood
``shoulder to shoulder'' with Portadown Orangemen, the marchers were told at
rallies in Corcrain, Drumcree, Park Road and Woodhouse Street.
hour before Portadown had ``come to a standstill'', as Grand Master Robert
Saulters led the protesters through the town. An hour later, violence
erupted as Orange protesters clashed with the RUC. ``There is no respect for
the RUC within loyalism now,'' said Orangeman William Ramsey, accusing the
RUC of provocation.
But the mask of victimhood ill fits the face of Orangeism, public or
private. In the parody of a civil rights march, the Orange Order recently
announced plans for a march from Derry through Belfast to Portadown. The
parallel is being drawn with an early civil rights march from Belfast to
Derry which was ambushed by Orangemen close to Burntollet almost 30 years
ago.
It's the same hall of mirrors which allows Ian Paisley to refer to the
Anti-Agreement minority in the Six Counties, as the majority of `The
Majority'. Such interpretations of the world should be treated with the
same disdain as the dismissal of the British racists' cry that black people
are taking their jobs. It's a myth but a very dangerous myth all the same.
The Orange march which is scheduled to begin on 24 June will arrive at
Drumcree on 3 July, a day before the controversial 4 July parade. Ignoring
the Church of Ireland synod, Drumcree parish rector, Reverend John
Pickering is refusing to withdraw an invitation to Portadown Orange Lodges
even if they refuse to abide by the law. Since last July, there have been
over 180 Orange parades in Portadown, the vast majority along the interface
of the nationalist Garvaghy Road estate - only 40 have been legal.
As the mask slips, revelations about anti-Catholic propaganda openly being
preached in Newcastle Orange Hall exposed the sectarian face of Orangism
once again. The sessions by a loyalist fundamentalist preacher who has been
linked to loyalist terror gangs were publicly advertised as taking place at
the Orange Hall. A sectarian message of hate was heard behind its locked
doors.
Alan Campbell, who teaches Religious Education in Newtownabbey Community
School, describes himself as a Christian Fundamentalist. Campbell recently
used an Internet website to claim that Rome was conducting a ``holy war''
against Ulster Protestants. He also claims Protestants should be proud to
be called bigots. It is perhaps not so strange that so bizarre a ranter
found himself at home in an Orange Hall.
Meanwhile, the nationalist community of Portadown continues to bear the
brunt of Orange intimidation. Garvaghy Road Residents' spokesperson
Breandán MacCionnaith described last Saturday's Orange rallies as ``just a
taste of things to come.'' The Orange parades had ``effectively sealed off
the Garvaghy Road from 6pm onwards,'' said Mac Cionnaith.
Despite the fact that the Orange delegation had walked out of proximity
talks last week to publicly repudiate ACAS mediator Frank Blair, the Order,
obviously in a state of sudden amnesia, emerged from a meeting with British
Prime Minister Tony Blair this week to accuse the residents of having no
respect for proximity talks. And so as we go around and around, getting
nowhere fast, the Orange carnival moves closer to its finale at Drumcree.