The issue of Orange Order marches on the Garvaghy Road is “closed”, First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said.
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O’Neill → close → Road
Ms O’Neill said residents living along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown had been subjected to a “direct provocation” after the Orange Order announced it had made an application for a “limited” parade on the route.
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it → say → route
The issue was the first topic discussed by MLAs when the Stormont assembly reconvened after recess.
The Parades Commission will have to rule on the latest application for 60 order members to take part in the proposed Drumcree parade on Sunday September 27.
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members → discuss → Sunday
The commission, which adjudicates on contentious parades in Northern Ireland, was heavily criticised by unionist politicians and the Orange Order after a High Court ruling last month that quashed its most recent determination over the Drumcree parade.
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that → adjudicate → parade
The Parades Commission has blocked the order from marching along the Garvaghy Road in July every year since 1998.
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Commission → block → 1998
Unionist politicians have called for the resignation of the commissioners, including chairwoman Professor Evelyn Collins, after the ruling.
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politicians → call → ruling
One commissioner, Billy Gamble, who had attracted criticism, has resigned but the chairwoman has remained in post.
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chairwoman → attract → post
Ms O’Neill told reporters that the residents of the Garvaghy Road have “made their position very clear”.
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position → tell → Road
“This issue is closed,” she said.
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she → close → ?
“I refer to this as provocation, this is provocation on behalf of the Orange Order and political unionism.
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this → refer → Order
“Why do they want to ramrod a march down a nationalist area?
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they → want → area
Why do they want a reopen a sore that was closed 28 years ago?
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that → want → sore
There’s no reasonable thinking person out there who thinks that this is a good idea.
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this → ’ → ?
“The people of the Garvaghy Road deserve to live without fear or intimidation.
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people → deserve → fear
What’s been put upon them over recent weeks is a direct provocation, is a way in which to try to extend fear and hate back into a situation that was settled 28 years ago.”
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that → put → situation
She added: “We continue to be engaged with the people in the Garvaghy Road, and they are anxious about what is being proposed, and rightly so, but I think we stand full square with them.
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we → add → them
This issue has been settled.
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issue → settle → ?
“Why does anyone want to revisit 28 years ago, where 21 people lost their lives during this period, where it was a time filled with fear and hate?”
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it → want → fear
The standoff at Drumcree made headlines in the 1990s, with nationalist residents of the Garvaghy Road resolutely opposed to the parade passing through the area, leading to violent clashes for several summers and political tension necessitating a major security operation.
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parade → make → operation
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston opened the debate in the assembly on Monday by saying the high court judgment exposed “serious failings” in the commission and the unionist community has “no respect or any confidence left” in the body.
“The Portadown District once again call on the Garvaghy Road residents to enter mediation without preconditions,” he said,
“That Sinn Féin are the ones that have ruled that out, Sinn Féin are gaslighting the people of the Garvaghy Road for their own political agenda.
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Féin → open → agenda
“Drumcree is not about the rights of orange men prevailing over those of residents.
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Drumcree → prevail → residents
It’s time the Portadown district banner was allowed to return home.”
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banner → ’ → ?
“There is an attempt to cover up gross misconduct in office by those commissioners, and I would argue if it was any other commission, if it was any other public body, Sinn Féin, and indeed other members of this assembly, would be outraged,” he said.
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he → be → assembly
Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd said “unspoken” agreement between Garvaghy road residents and the Orange Order for the last 28 years has facilitated a situation where “community relations are improving on an almost daily basis within the Portadown area”.
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relations → say → area
“But getting all the people coming along and they’re picking, they’re picking on it, and why are they picking on it?
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they → get → it
Because they can’t cope with progress.
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they → cope → progress
“They can’t cope with stability.
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They → cope → stability
They fear peace.
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They → fear → peace
They fear peace.
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They → fear → peace
They fear that ability of the communities to get on together.
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They → fear → communities
Why are you opening old wounds?
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you → open → wounds
Some of you don’t even remember it, some of you are too young to remember it, I remember it.
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I → remember → it
“I remember the hurt and the pain that was inflicted on the Garvaghy Road community.
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that → remember → community
That scar runs deep in that community.
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scar → run → community
“The hurt and the trauma that was afflicted in that community runs very, very deep, and it is generational, so stay away from it.”
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it → afflict → it
Mr O’Dowd then read the names of people who were killed during tensions in the 90s linked to the Drumcree dispute.
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who → read → dispute
“Elizabeth O’Neill killed in her home,” he said.
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he → kill → home
“Robert Hamill kicked to death in the street.
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Hamill → kick → street
“The Quinn children, Jason, Mark, and Richard, between nine and 11 years of age, burned to death in their homes.
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children → burn → homes
“What more do you want?”
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you → want → What
…and 4 more, not listed.
