Published Monday, 20 July 2009
DUP Culture Minister and north Belfast MLA Nelson McCausland said republicans were opposed to the Orange Order tradition.
He said Sinn Fein took the focus off last week's dissident republican violence over a march near Ardoyne by criticising the Order, but Sinn Fein rejected the claims.
Sinn Fein said there were nearly 3,000 parades each year, but only a handful remained contentious.
The Orange Order rejected calls for talks from Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams.
Mr McCausland said: "It is regrettable that in the wake of dissident republican violence at Ardoyne, Gerry Kelly and Gerry Adams have sought to divert attention from that violence by accusing the Orange Order of not stepping up to the mark.
"They must recognise that the hatred of those dissidents for Orangemen is something that was cultivated by Sinn Fein over a number of decades, as part of their political strategy.
"They must also face up to their responsibility to tackle the sectarianism in their midst. Instead of blaming Orangemen they should step up to the mark, face up to that responsibility and help their community to move from tribalism to tolerance."
But Sinn Fein Human Rights spokesperson Martina Anderson MLA said the Orange Order was not treating other citizens as equals.
"Nelson McCausland needs to take his head out of the sand," she said. "The controversy around Orange marches is not a new phenomena. It is as old as the Orange Order itself. It predates the northern state.
"While the responsibility for the disturbances in Ardoyne must lie with those who orchestrated them, the Orange Order cannot distance itself from the consequences of its unwillingness to demonstrate respect for its neighbours, either in Ardoyne or elsewhere."
She said Gerry Adams last week acknowledged that in a future united Ireland there would be Orange marches.
"But that does not give the Orange Order the right to treat fellow citizens with contempt or to seek to treat others as second class," she said.
"This is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
"There are a small number of marches which give rise to difficulties. Out of over 3,000 these amount to around six.
"It should not be beyond the ability of the leadership of the Orange Order to find a resolution to these along with residents and the rest of us."