LOYALISTS IN CRISIS TALKS ON TWELFTH MARCH CURB !!!

SENIOR Loyalists were locked in ” crisis meetings ” yesterday as tensions rose ahead of the Orange Order‘s Twelfth of July parade past Ardoyne in North Belfast. The Parades Commission has decided to bring forward a contentious march by several hours, cutting short the Twelfth for hundreds of north Belfast loyalists.

The return leg of the annual feeder parade along the Crumlin Road usually passes the volatile Ardoyne interface after 7pm but must now be finished by 4pm. The move has sparked outrage in loyalist communities. Tensions have also been raised around a second march held by a breakaway nationalist residents group, which has also been granted permission to march on the Crumlin Road on the Twelfth. The Irish News understands that proposals for an earlier Orange march – in return for concessions from nationalists residents – were first put forward by loyalists representatives during talks earlier this year. However, while the time change has been implemented, restrictions placed on the parade remain the same as in the previous years. Sinn Fein assembly member for north Belfast Gerry Kelly said the Parades Commission’s decision to allow three parades on the Twelfth ” has the potential to make the situation worse”.

SENIOR loyalists have held a series of  ” crisis talks ” after the Parades Commission decided to bring a feeder march past a volatile North Belfast interface forward by three hours. The Commission ruled on Thursday that loyalists would be allowed along the Nationalist stretch of the Crumlin Road both in the morning and on their return leg on the Twelfth of July. However, the evening parade was brought forward several hours to 4pm.

The parade usually passes the Ardoyne interface after 7pm, not leaving ” the field ” at Barnetts Demesne in South Belfast until 4pm. Cutting the Twelfth short for thousands of North Belfast loyalists has been met with outrage amoung bandsmen and their supporters. The Irish News understands the proposal for an earlier march was in fact put forward by loyalists representatives in ” conversations ” chaired by Lord Alderdice. Members of the loyalist North and West Belfast Parades and Cultural Forum met ( CARA ) the Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents Association as part of the discussions which were described as ” positive ” but failed to reach a compromise. Among ideas to emerge was for loyalists to return to Ardoyne earlier than usual in exchange for concessions.However, strict restrictions on the three North Belfast lodges involved remain unchanged by the commission. Loyalists spent most of yesterday in a series of summits aimed at formulating a response to the determination.

Meanwhile, a second march held by breakaway nationalist residents group Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective ( GARC ) was also granted permission to march on the Crumlin Road at 5.30pm on the Twelfth despite fears of violence. Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said the determination ” has the potential to make the situation worse”. ” The commission has allowed these unwanted parades and also a G.A.R.C. parade so the residents now face three parades on the Twelfth of July,” he said.

G.A.R.C. spokesman Dee Fennell said:  ” This determination means that we will instead be holding our protest shortly afterwards and if, as has historically been the case, there is a reaction tom loyalists being pushed up the Crumlin Road from the young people of the area then we have a very dangerous situation indeed. ” The decision to move the loyalist march forward to 4pm has, we believe, been concocted in a cynical manner to try and stop GARC from publicly showing opposition to a sectarian march through our area. ” It will not succueed and we will be holding our protest. If trouble does break out then it falls to the forces of law to protect Ardoyne residents holding a peacefull protest with the same zeal that they use annually to protect sectarian marches by the Orange Order.”

North Belfast DUP representatives strongly criticised the Parades Commission’s decision. In a joint statement, Nigel Dodds MP and assembly members Nelson McCausland and William Humphrey said the decision would hamper attempts to reach a compromise. ” In the context of the new talks initiative, entered into by the parades forum in good faith, this draconian determination is incomprehensible and entirely counter-productive and will set back the prospects of reaching agreement,” they said.

WITH MANY THANKS TO : IRISH NEWS.

RESIDENTS TO MEET COMMISSION AS DECISION WILL MEAN 10,000 PASS THROUGH ” NATIONALIST ” VILLAGE !

RESIDENTS of Crumlin are to meet the Parades Commission following a ruling that will see upwards of 10,000 Orangemen and their supporters march through the mainly nationalist village. The Twelfth parade was granted permission to pass in full in the morning, with a smaller march for the return leg.

Sinn Fein’s Mitchel McLaughlin, said it was extremely disappointing that concerns about the march had not been taken on board by the commission. ” This community, which is over 80 per cent nationalist, have opposed this happening due to concerns in regards to the potential for serious damage to the excellent community relations in the town,” he said. ” To their credit the residents of the town sought meetings with the Orange Order but to no avail. They also proposed several viable alternative routes in order to facilitate this march.” Residents and political representatives have asked for a further meeting with the commission to discuss their concerns.

WITH MANY THANKS TO : IRISH NEWS.