EFFORTS to reach a compromise over two marches in Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh, failed last night, leading to renewed fears of clashes in the Border village later today.
Residents in the village held a meeting which lasted until early this morning to discuss the form of planned protests against the Black Preceptory marches, which are due to take place this morning and evening. The RUC was understood to be considering whether or not to impose new restrictions on the planned routes.
Earlier hopes of a last compromise were dashed when the marchers rejected a second compromise proposal from the residents. They proposed that the marchers proceed out of the village from the Black Preceptory hall.
The Black Preceptory had countered with a proposal that they march up and down the main street with three bands before leaving the village.
The loyalist marchers were said to be planning to converge on the village from two different directions - the Clones Road and Watterbridge Road. Residents described the routes as "unacceptable" and said that planned nationalist counter demonstrations would go ahead.
A spokesman for the Newtownbutler Area Association refused to say if its members planned to block the routes, but said any protest would be a peaceful one.
The Black Preceptory earlier failed to respond to the first compromise proposal put forward by residents yesterday. This was believed to centre on the shortening of the parade route.
Meanwhile, tension eased slightly in nearby Roslea as the RUC moved to re route a planned Black Preceptory march through the mainly nationalist village.
An RUC spokesman said that the loyalist marchers had been served notice that they would not be allowed to proceed past the Black Preceptory hall in the village. Other marches last August and in May this year passed off peacefully after similar decisions were taken.
However, the Roslea Against Sectarian Marches group demanded written confirmation of the RUC decision before making a final decision about a planned nationalist counter demonstration.
Mr Brian McCaffrey, speaking for the group, said that he had encountered difficulty in persuading residents that the march had been re routed. He said that they were adopting a "wait and see" approach to their planned protest.
The decision to stage nationalist counter demonstrations in Newtownbutler was taken at a public meeting on Thursday night after the Royal Black Preceptory had failed to meet a deadline set by residents for a reply to a letter asking them to refrain from parading due to heightened tensions.
The Newtowbutler Area Association spokesman, Mr Kevin Lawrenson, said that protests would take place today because they had failed to reach agreement with the RBP. However, he refused to say if residents would block the marchers route if police did not ban the parades.
An Ulster Unionist councillor, Mr Cecil Noble, who has been in contact with Black marchers from Roslea and Newtowbutler, said the organisation was "playing their cards close to their chests".
Mr Noble, an RBP member, said: "The Preceptory officers in Newtownbutler and Roslea are not saying what they will do. They are playing their cards close to their chests and it looks as if they will only make their decision about the parades when they meet."