March to compromise

According to the BBC news on 10 September last year, the cost of policing the controversial Orange parade to the Whiterock Loyal Orange Lodge on the Springfield Road in west Belfast and the subsequent rioting cost £3m sterling. The rioting by members of the 'loyal' orders lasted for days after an Orange Order parade was barred from going through security gates into an area of the Springfield Road which is almost entirely Catholic. Not surprisingly these residents resent the sectarian abuse heaped on them by some elements associated with these parades. They also resent the virtual siege and the military and police curfew imposed on them.

For its part the Orange Order refuses to talk directly to the residents or the Parades Commission which was established by the British government to deal with these issues. Last September the Orangemen refused to take an alternative route determined by this commission. Instead they attacked the British forces. Eighty-two people were arrested,12 weapons were recovered and 93 police officers were injured. Civilian injuries, as is usual in these cases, are not available, but without doubt scores of people were hurt. 'Loyal' rioters fired 150 live rounds. They threw 167 blast bombs at police lines, hijacked 167 vehicles and threw over 1000 petrol bombs. The police fired 216 impact rounds.

All these figures come courtesy of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde said the Orange Order bore "substantial responsibility for the rioting and the attacks on his officers".

During this period there were concerted attempts by 'loyalist' rioters to draw young nationalists into the rioting. But good sense prevailed. There were useful initiatives to counter such developments, including pre-emptive meetings by local republican leaders and local youths. And it worked.

A few weeks ago the Parades Commission allowed the Orangemen through the security gates and on to the stretch of road denied to them last September. It is despite the widespread violence of September. In fact many Catholic residents on the Springfield Road believe it is because of that violence.

But the real reason is rooted in the attitude of republicans to these contentious parades. last month, in Ardoyne, the residents worked out an accommodation with the Loyal Orders. Because they refuse to talk directly to residents, the Orange is represented by a north- and west-Belfast Forum. This consists of the various Loyal Orders and the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defence Association, the Red Hand Commandos as well as the Ulster Unionist Party and, until recently, Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party.

The accommodation allowed a limited parade to pass through Ardoyne. It was stewarded by local people including community activists, teachers and local priests. But the majority of the stewards were republican activists. Some of these were rounded on by other local people. Twelve stewards were injured. Their attackers include alienated young people and some anti-social elements but, importantly, some who are genuinely angry at these developments.

The Ardoyne parade is not the first loyalist parade to be stewarded by republicans. But it is the first to be stewarded as part of a successful accommodation. This includes a commitment by the forum to engage in a process of dialogue with Ardoyne residents to find a longer-term resolution of these issues. Great credit is due to them. It is only a short while since their children were denied the right to travel to their school at Holy Cross by the same route.

Gerry Kelly of Sinn Féin has played a key role in all these matters. He also was verbally abused as the Orange parade passed by. Some local activists worry that his vote may suffer in Ardoyne due to this.

Despite valiant effort by local residents there was no such accommodation agreed by the Orange for the Springfield Road parade because of a failure by the forum to engage early in dialogue with residents. This may be tactical. Or it may be because they have not got their act together.

There are a number of disparate volatile elements involved in the Springfield Road parade. These include the Shankill Road UVF. When the Parades Commission delivered its deliberations the people of the Springfield Road were incensed. They got two Orange parades instead of one. A 50-strong section of the Whiterock Lodge, with restrictions imposed on it, came through the security gates. The main parade joined them by another route. But good sense prevailed again. Local anger was channeled into a silent protest. For their part the Orange 'reluctantly' accepted the Parades Commission's determination and the day passed peacefully.

So far so good. But these parades are only a prelude to the Twelfth. There is a long journey for the marching orders. In fairness some have already started that journey. I believe it is in the interest of the Orange to engage properly and fully with their neighbours. Some within the Orange have clearly, if slowly, come to this view. But it is a huge challenge for the organisation. It means a fundamental shift in its raison d'etre and such a transition is a hesitant and uncertain one.

Therein lies the danger for the rest of us. The Parades Commission believes, with some justification, that it can rely on the discipline of republicans and local nationalists. But this cannot be sustained indefinitely or unilaterally, or taken for granted. Especially given the way the Orange is perceived to be rewarded for its negativity So there is a lot of work to be done. Have a good Twelfth!