- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: ULSTER ORANGEMEN DECIDE TO CANCEL OR RE-ROUTE PROTESTANT PARADES
- Date: 10th July 1997
- Summary: BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND; UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 10, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV ROYAL ULSTER CONSTABULARY SECURITY ON BRIDGE SEPARATING CATHOLIC SIDE FROM MIXED SIDE (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. SLV BRITISH TROOPS WITH RIFLES 0.10 3. LV OF TROOPS AND SECURITY ON BRIDGE 0.13 4. SLV NATIONALIST CHILDREN WITH ANTI ORANGE MARCH POSTERS ON LOWER ORMEAU ROAD (3 SHOTS) 0.24 5. SV DEPUTY HEAD OF GRAND ORANGE LODGE JEFFREY DONALDSON SAYING " I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THESE DECISIONS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ORANGE MEN OR ORANGE PARADES OR ANYTHING BUT HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN THE WIDER INTERESTS OF NORTHERN IRELAND AND THAT IS CLEAR FROM THE STATEMENT THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. I THINK THAT EVERYONE IN NORTHERN IRELAND WHO IS REASONABLE WILL COMMEND THESE LODGES FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, FOR THE COURAGE THAT THEY HAVE SHOWN IN TAKING VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS INDEED. (ENGLISH) 1.02 6. SV BANNERS COMING DOWN FROM LOWER ORMEAU RD PEACE CAMP AT NIGHT (2 SHOTS) 1.11 BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 11, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 7. PAN FROM LOWER ORMEAU RD BRIDGE TO NATIONALIST PEACE CAMP 1.19 8. VOX POP FROM WOMAN SAYING SHE ADMIRES THE ORANGE ORDER FOR THEIR DECISION TO CANCEL THE MARCHES (ENGLISH) 1.23 9. EXTERIOR NORTHERN IRELAND FORUM BUILDING 1.28 10. SV ARMED SECURITY AT ENTRANCE (2 SHOTS) 1.36 11. SV DEMOCRATIC UNIONIST PARTY LEADER IAN PAISLEY COMING OUT OF MEETING 1.42 12. SCU IAN PAISLEY SAYING :"IT'S MORE THAN A DEFEAT FOR THE ORANGE MOVEMENT, IT'S A DEFEAT FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE LAW AND ORDER SHOULD PREVAIL "(ENGLISH) 1.53 13. WIDE OF PAISLEY PRESS CONFERENCE AND MEDIA 1.58 14. SLV DAVID TRIMBLE LEADER ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY 2.05 15. SCU DAVID TRIMBLE SAYING SAYING "WE WILL TELL TOMORROW WHEN WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND SEE WHETHER IT HAS SUCCEEDED IN DENYING THE IRA THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAUSE MAYHEM, BECAUSE IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT SINN FEIN (POLITICAL WING OF THE IRA) OR IRA WERE PLANNING TO CAUSE SERIOUS DISORDER IN THE SITUATION WHERE THE AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING IT, PARTICULARLY IN BELFAST." (ENGLISH) 2.30 16. SLV PRESS CONFERENCE WITH SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS 2.35 17. SV MEDIA AND GERRY ADAMS (2 SHOTS) 2.42 18. SCU SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS SAYING "I THINK IT WOULD BE IMMENSELY NEGATIVE AND RETROGRADE STEP IF UNIONISTS WITHDREW FROM THOSE TALKS (N.IRELAND FORUM) IN THE WAKE OF WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT GESTURE AND INITIATIVE BY THE ORANGE ORDER.I DO MAKE THE POINT, AND I MADE IT EARLIER THAT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE DEBATE WHICH IS GOING WITHIN UNIONISM AND ORANGISM, AND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT ALL OF THESE CHANGES MEAN FOR THAT SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY" (ENGLISH) 3.10 19. SV OF GERRY ADAMS AND PRESS CONFERENCE 3.15 20. SLV CONTINUED SECURITY ON BELFAST STREETS CHECKING VEHICLES 3.27 21. GV ARMY TRUCKS AND SOLDIERS AT TRAFFIC CHECK 3.31 22. SV ARMED SOLDIER PATROLLING PAVEMENT WITH PEOPLE WALKING ALONG STREET 3.40 23. SV SOLDIERS ON PATROL 3.45 Initials P3 S3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 25th July 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND; UNITED KINGDOM
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVAAUS60RCWZCIT7TPPOTUFNI9XA
- Story Text: Northern Ireland's Protestant Orange Order has performed a U-turn and cancelled several parades which had threatened to ignite further violent Roman Catholic opposition in the British province.
The Orangemen decided in Belfast on Thursday night (July 10) to cancel or re-route the marches to avoid possible loss of life after a tide of Catholic anger and a week of violence across the province.
The decision was greeted with relief by leading figures on both sides of the province's religious and political divide. It ended a week-long standoff between the Order and Catholic residents' associations, who had threatened to block the parades, which they regard as sectarian intimidation on their doorsteps.
The Orange Order was founded to celebrate its Protestant faith and British loyalty in Northern Ireland.
It called off parades in Belfast's Lower Ormeau Road and the towns of Newry and Armagh. It said it was re-routing a march in Londonderry.
The decision was a major concession to Catholic Irish nationalists and was warmly welcomed by Britain and Ireland as a boost for their joint Northern Ireland peace process.
"I admire the Orange Order for its decision," said one Catholic Belfast woman.
But it angered Orange hardliners who saw it as a surrender to Sinn Fein and the Irish Republican Army (IRA), who have fought British rule of Northern Ireland for three decades.
Ian Paisley, leader of the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, said Orangemen had been forced into the decision, which would not help to ease tensions.
"I think this will fuel the fire of opposition to the whole unionist community," he said.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams welcomed the decision adding that he thought it would be a step backwards if the nationalists pulled out of further peace talks as a result of the Orange Order decision.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
