NORTHERN IRELAND: ORANGE ORDER MEMBERS PARADE ACROSS PROVINCE

Описание: (12 Jul 1997) English/Nat

Tens of thousands of pro-British Orange Order members marched on their most cherished anniversary in Northern Ireland on Saturday, although several key parades were cancelled to avoid confrontation with local Catholic residents.

This followed a night of attacks blamed on Irish republicans and fears of reprisals by their Protestant foes.

Despite unprecedented concessions, Catholics in Northern Ireland still blocked Protestants from marching through several Catholic towns but there were no immediate reports of injuries or violence.

The province appeared to be calm and relatively trouble free on a day which historically has seen much blood spilt.

Dressed in their traditional finery, the Protestant bands played their way along the roads of Belfast as crowds gathered to watch one of the largest parades in Belfast on Saturday.

The various lodges (branches) marched behind their own ceremonial banners bearing images symbolic of their deep Protestant faith and loyalty to the British crown.

Groups of supporters waving or carrying British or Orange flags lined the route to cheer the parades on.

Each design and symbol on the uniforms and instruments bear a significance - the pounding drums bore the names of the lodges, redolent of long devotion to the union with Britain.

But not all the marches went ahead as the marching season reached its annual climax.

Following last week's violence in Portadown, Orange Order leaders decided to cancel some of their parades, especially the ones most likely to lead to direct confrontation with the nationalist community.

One flashpoint march along the Lower Ormeau Road was voluntarily cancelled by the Orange Order lodge in order to avoid a repeat of last year's violence.

This is the first time in 200 years the Orange Order has chosen not to attempt crossing the Ormeau Road Bridge into the staunchly Catholic area on the other side.

The decision received praise from many quarters, but some hardliners were furious over the cancelled march viewing it as a betrayal.

Armed soldiers remained in position, monitoring the situation, following rumours that some enraged marchers had vowed to defy the order.

A local resident from the Catholic community spoke of her relief the march had been abandoned.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It's great given the fact that they have cancelled the parade, but in saying that if there's any future parades it'lI mean there'll be the same thing over again and people are going to protest because they don't want them coming down. They're not saying don't march, they can march."
SUPER CAPTION: Local Catholic Resident

Other marches across the province attempted to follow their planned route but were prevented.

In Dunloy, 50 miles (80 kilometres) north of Belfast, the local Orange Lodge turned back after being stopped at police lines following a protest by 200 Catholic nationalists.

Not wishing to spark a confrontation, the marchers turned back angry and bitter.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We have no intention of getting embroiled in a battle with R-U-C, we are going to turn away and we are going to go peacefully to the demonstration at Clough Mills. We feel let down but our civil liberties are being denied us, for we are law abiding citizens."
SUPER CAPTION: John Finlay, Secretary of Dunloy Lodge

Elsewhere the Orange Order, founded by Protestants to celebrate their faith and loyalty to Britain, staged hundreds of small parades which were to converge into about 20 big marches.







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