Parade Plan Heightens Tension As Executive Fails To Meet

With the NI Executive paralysed by a failure to meet for four full months, as Sinn Féin protests about a lack of progress on the devolution of policing and justice powers, the party has defended its decision to organise a contentious march.

The party wants to counter a widely publicised 'home-coming' parade in Belfast to welcome service personnel back to NI from the Afghanistan conflict.

Coming just a week in advance of UK-wide Remembrance Sunday Services, MLA Paul Maskey insisted the protest would be a peaceful and dignified parade which he said was designed to highlight opposition to the "illegal wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, the MLA went further and said that it is also about the party's opposition to the Royal Irish Regiment and its predecessors.

"It is also to highlight the many victims of the British army, UDR and Royal Irish Regiment here at home; victims of collusion, intimidation, shoot-to-kill, torture and State murder.

"That is the legacy of the RIR here in Ireland. The British army track record in Iraq and Afghanistan, much like here in Ireland, is not one of heroism - it is one of murder and oppression," he said.

Sinn Féin has applied to the Parades Commission for a counter parade in Belfast on Sunday, November 2, that, if fully granted, could lead to direct confrontation in Belfast city centre between those attending and participating in the British army parade and those involved in the republican protest.

The potential for confrontation was further heightened with republican anti-agreement group Eirigi also planning to hold a protest in Belfast on the day - although no application has been made to the Parades Commission.

The protests may further sour the political atmosphere, with the DUP accusing Sinn Féin of attempting to damage community relations.

North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland said the Sinn Féin protest was a "sinister attempt" to intimidate the people who wanted to welcome home the soldiers.

Last week, Northern Ireland's Executive Ministers again failed to meet as an ongoing Stormont stalemate reached a four-month total.

Even as the First and Deputy First Minister's were on route to Dublin for talks with the Irish Premier, Brian Cowen - to include the impasse over the devolution of policing and justice to the NI Assembly - hopes of a last minute breakthrough faded as the third successive Executive meeting since the end of the summer recess failed to take place.

While behind the scenes talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein are said to be continuing, little progress was being reported on the key issues between them.

The last Executive meeting was on June 19, further deepening the crisis over how to deal with day-to-day business.

See: DUP Boss Meets Cowen In Dublin