Statement on Permission Granted for Garvaghy Road Orange Order March
Statement on Permission Granted for Garvaghy Road Orange Order March - The Labour Party
Labour Leader and Spokesperson on Northern Ireland Ivana Bacik TD has described the Parades Commission of Northern Ireland’s decision to permit an Orange Order parade at Drumcree for the first time in 28 years as “unbelievable”.
Deputy Bacik, who met with concerned residents of the Garvaghy Road this week, has expressed her solidarity with those who now fear for their safety following today’s decision.
Deputy Bacik said,
“It is incredible that the Parades Commission has given the go-ahead for this Sunday’s march. Even a scaled-back event will reopen deep wounds and trauma for the community living on the Garvaghy Road and beyond. I met with residents this week and heard directly from them about how frightened they are at the prospect of this march taking place.
“Everyone has a right to enjoy their home and community free from sectarian intimidation and violence. It is extraordinary that an independent body has concluded that this right can be put at risk in this way. There has been no material change in the circumstances that saw permission refused in the past.
“Those of us who remember the darkest days of the Troubles will recall the profound damage caused by division and intimidation. More recently, racialised hate riots in Belfast and elsewhere have reminded us of the very real consequences when division and hatred are allowed to take hold.
“Northern Ireland is a wonderful place, with a complex history and complex problems today. Fundamentally, people of all political persuasions – those who aspire to live in a united Ireland, those who wish to preserve the union with Britain, and those who prefer neither – all have the right to express their political views freely. That right must be protected.
“However, no one has the right to threaten, intimidate or harass others. I fear that, at best, this weekend will bring the risk of precisely that. Residents have conveyed to me their very real fears that old wounds will be reopened, community relations damaged and their ability to simply live their lives in peace undermined.
“The Parades Commission has urged that its decision should not be seen as a victory for one side or a loss for another. That appeal is naive and ignores the wider context in which their decision has been taken.
“The dysfunction within the Northern Ireland Executive is creating a political vacuum. It is one that risks exploitation by those who benefit from disillusionment, division and disenfranchisement among vulnerable communities.
“I understand that legal processes are now underway to try to mitigate or stop the risk on Sunday. More generally, political leadership must prioritise protecting communities and ensuring that people can live safely and peacefully in their own homes. I express my solidarity, and that of Labour, with all those now living in fear, and those who will spend this weekend providing aid and assistance to those who will bear the consequences of the decision taken today.”