Republican News · Thursday 11 July 2002

Sinn Féin welcomes Mourne Park 11th Night decision

West Tyrone Sinn Féin Assembly member Barry McElduff has welcomed the decision by the Parades Commission to put restrictions on the 11th night loyalist Band Parade in Newtownstewart.

"This move is long overdue and I now hope that residents in Mourne Park ad Mourne Walk will now be able to get on with their lives on the 11th night, free from violence, intimidation and fear," he said.

The determination sees the parade rerouted away from the mainly nationalist Mourne Park area of the town. The Parade organisers were to appeal the decision on Wednesday.

Sinn Féin councillors Charlie McHugh and Seán Begley met with the Commission the previous week to discuss what they described as the 'yearly nightmare' of the marching season for nationalist residents of both Newtownstewart and Castlederg. They made it clear that despite repeated representations, the Commission had failed to take affirmative action to impose restrictions on either of the contentious routes or to impose sanctions on parades where the stipulated guidelines as regards conduct were continually flouted.