Orange Order walk from dialogue on Drumcree

The Protestant Orange Order has withdrawn from an initiative designed to resolve the ongoing dispute at Drumcree in County Armagh.

The Order has decided to pull out of discussions with South African lawyer Brian Currin, who has been acting as an independent mediator, because they felt that further dialogue with nationalist residents of Garvaghy Road was fruitless.

Instead the District has called upon the British Government “to take responsibility and restore the human rights of Portadown District”.

The Drumcree dispute centres on the Order’s desire to walk along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road, near Portadown, to Drumcree Parish Church for their annual service. However the Northern Ireland Parades Commission has barred the Order from marching down the road for the last four years.

On Thursday November 9 the Orange Order said it had decided to withdraw from the initiative, saying: “It was patently clear that the Residents Coalition [of Garvaghy Road] has no real interest in reaching an accommodation with the District.”

The Order said it had written to Mr Currin, repeating its view that his efforts at mediation would “inevitably fail” when faced with “those who have no genuine desire to participate in mediation and invariably move the goal posts at every juncture.”

SDLP agriculture minister Bríd Rodgers said the Orange Order's decision was disappointing. She said: “I know that the community and residents in the Garvaghy Road area are anxious and willing to achieve a resolution and have been all along. Asking the British Government to solve the problem is a cop-out because clearly this problem can only be resolved by dialogue between the people involved in the conflict.”

Northern Ireland First Minister and MP for Upper Bann David Trimble - who is in New York - said it was “regrettable that this dispute remains unresolved, especially when there were times when it appeared close to being settled.”

He added: “Perhaps now strenuous efforts will be taken to fill the vacuum and positive steps activated to resolve the situation.”

Sinn Féin member for the area Dara O’Hagan commented: “This marching issue can only be resolved through dialogue. Once again the Orange Order has walked away from a process aimed at resolving this dispute to the satisfaction of all involved.” (AMcE)