Northern Ireland Secretary Reveals Two Proposals to Resolve Drumcree Dispute
Sir Chris Bryant stated that agreements were close before he ultimately banned the contentious Orange Order parade.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has revealed that two potential compromises were discussed in an effort to resolve the dispute over the Drumcree parade before he imposed a ban.
Bryant banned the Orange Order parade at Drumcree on Friday after talks between the Portadown District Lodge and residents of the Garvaghy Road failed to yield an agreement. The dispute had led to a nearly two-week standoff between Orangemen and nationalist residents.
The decision followed a warning from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chief constable that allowing the procession to proceed could result in serious injury, disorder, and wider unrest throughout Northern Ireland.
One of the proposed compromises would have permitted the Orangemen to complete one final march along the Garvaghy Road, with the understanding that it would not be repeated. The second option involved the group acknowledging their right to march but agreeing not to exercise it.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Sir Chris defended his decision, stating he could not foresee a safe way for the procession to take place. He also commented that Stormont's power-sharing institutions had demonstrated greater resilience than anticipated, despite concerns that the dispute might cause the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Historical Context of the Drumcree Dispute
The Drumcree situation has historically been one of Northern Ireland's most contentious parading disputes. Stand-offs in the mid-to-late 1990s, stemming from attempts by the Orange Order to march along the Garvaghy Road, were marked by riots, roadblocks, and fatalities.
In July 1995, a tense standoff occurred when police prevented the Orange Order from marching down the route, a situation that recurred for the subsequent three years. The establishment of the Parades Commission in 1998 aimed to regulate parades and mitigate tensions surrounding marches.
Earlier this year, the Parades Commission ruled that the march, scheduled for Sunday, September 27, could proceed with restrictions, overturning a previous decision to halt the march that had been challenged in court. However, this parade did not occur.
Since then, residents have maintained a consistent presence near the road, while members of the Orange Order have repeatedly attempted to march the route, only to be turned back by police. On Friday night, members of the Portadown District Lodge again approached police lines at Drumcree, as they had done regularly over the preceding two weeks, but were once more halted.