Dodds demands McGuinness apology

Published Monday, 22 February 2010
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DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds has demanded an apology from Martin McGuinness after the Deputy First Minister told the Orange Order to face up to the fact they could no longer march in nationalist areas.

Mr Dodds rounded on Mr McGuinness as the parades working group, made up of representatives from Sinn Fein and the DUP, met at Stormont to complete the task it was set in the Hillsborough agreement.

The six-strong group, which was asked to formulate new proposals to manage controversial loyal order marches, will present its finding to Mr McGuinness and DUP First Minister Peter Robinson on Tuesday.

'Orange state'

The latest spat came after Mr McGuinness's remarks at an event in Strabane, Co Tyrone to mark the deaths of three IRA men.

"The Orange Order has to sit up and take notice that the world is changing all around them, that the north is not an Orange state - recognise that not alone have the old days gone, but the days of the triumphalist Orange marches through areas where they are not wanted have to be consigned to the history books forever," he said.

He also criticised the Orange Order leadership for continuing to refuse to engage with republicans.

"And they should come forward, like men and women, and come into rooms, sit and talk to representatives of the nationalist/republican community in areas where they are seeking to march.

"Thus far, they have refused to do that, but that's what they must do in the course of the coming period."

Mr Dodds reacted angrily to the Sinn Fein MP's speech.

"At a time when people are strenuously working for a resolution to outstanding issues, Mr McGuinness decides to play to his own gallery with a cliche-ridden attack on the Orange Institution," he said.

"That sort of republican propaganda might play well with his hardcore supporters, but it will not instil community confidence throughout Northern Ireland on other important matters.

"Mr McGuinness needs to show some leadership and stop looking over his shoulder at the dissidents (republicans) and the SDLP. Sinn Fein should focus their efforts on getting a new start to parading.

"It is ironic that Martin McGuinness should have talked about the so-called human rights violations caused by celebrations of Unionist culture at an event dedicated to the commemoration of people who were human rights abusers. Terrorists denied thousands of Ulster people the ultimate human right - the right to life."

On Monday residents' groups from the Lower Ormeau road in Belfast and the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Co Armagh published the submission they sent to the working group last week.

They said they were making the correspondence public because they were concerned that the group's final submission to the First Minister and deputy First Minister would not be disclosed.

"This would be counter to any sense of openness, transparency and fairness regarding this process," Gerard Rice from the Lower Ormeau group and Breanan Mac Cionnaith from the Garvaghy Road body wrote in a joint letter.

On Saturday, Orange Order leaders expressed concern over some of the potential measures being considered by the working group.

After a three-hour private meeting in Co Tyrone, Grand Master Robert Saulters said members were uneasy about some of the possible changes.

"Our membership have several issues of concern about the proposed arrangements that may come from the current parades working group and are in no position to make any judgment or form any opinion at this time," he said.

The Orange Order initially welcomed the Hillsborough Agreement's promise of a new system for overseeing marches fiercely opposed by nationalist residents' groups.

© UTV News
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9 Comments
lorna in limavady wrote (819 days ago):
How hollow Martin's words spoken at the signing of the aggreement. A shared future consisting only all things Sinn Fein what a pity, no good will for Protestant neighbours in those nationalist areas. We have years of bombing and shooting, they said for civil rights where are the civil rights for those Protestants who want to march to Church services, can Catholics not allow their neighbours to walk when all other times of the year they are not heard. We will never have peace until all forms of bigotry is removed. How can anyone call the OO bigots and not see bigotry within themselves
Peter in Belfast wrote (819 days ago):
Your catholic neighbours put up with your displays of bigotry because they had to. What other options were open to them? If Sinn Fein has done anything it has been to remind nationalists that their opinions are also valid, and that they can say no thanks to those who have insulted and intimidated them for years.
david hearst in tandragee wrote (820 days ago):
i can remember times our catholic neighbours would come watch my father unfurl banner for last sat aug have tea joke about our orange lillys say there easter lily was better then sinnfein started to roll the ball it now cant stop it easy now to say orange men no longer welcome
Jim in USA wrote (820 days ago):
The old mantra; " you can't equate an education with intelligence." is personified by Nigel Dodds, and his nonsensical insistence that the Orange Order has a right to insult their Catholic neighbors.
Peter in Belfast wrote (820 days ago):
Wanting to walk where you are unwelcome and have no support is not only being unreasonable, it is irresponsible, provocative and asking for trouble. It only happens in a very small minority of cases and its time that these cases should be banned permanently and forever, for once and for all!!! Even in a peaceful, decent, civilised society, no-one, regardless of who they are or what they represent has a God given right to parade, march or assemble wherever & whenever they want. This needs to be made clear to those who are stuck in the past and holding us all back. There are more important things to be getting on with!!!
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