Decision on Drumcree Orange parade delayed

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission today put on hold a decision whether or not to overturn a ban on this Sunday's Drumcree…

The Northern Ireland Parades Commission today put on hold a decision whether or not to overturn a ban on this Sunday's Drumcree Orange march.

A spokesman for the commission said the outcome of the review would not be revealed today until a further submission was received.

"The commission has agreed to receive a further representation to Drumcree which cannot take place before Thursday morning," the spokesman said. "So there will be no review decision today."

The commission announced on Monday that Portadown Orangemen would be banned for the fourth year running from marching down the nationalist Garvaghy Road on Sunday.

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The decision led to meetings between the commission and local politicians at its Belfast headquarters yesterday.

A delegation from Craigavon Council met the commission as well as members of SDLP and Sinn Féin.

Among the Craigavon delegation was leading Orangeman Mr David Jones who attended as a local councillor despite the Orange Order's policy of refusing to engage with the parade's body.

A delegation of nationalist residents from the Garvaghy Road also met the commission today.

Tensions are running high in the run up to Sunday's march, with the security forces concerned about loyalist violence erupting in protest at the ban.

The shooting of 19-year-old Ciarán Cummings in Antrim today will be blamed by Sinn Féin on sectarian tensions in the run up to the Drumcree parade.

However in a statement yesterday the North’s largest loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Freedom Fighters said they had: "no intention to cause or engage in violent activity at Drumcree."

The group stopped short of urging its members to stay away from the annual parade flashpoint on Sunday.

The UDA said individual members would exercise "their right to show solidarity with their fellow loyalists at Drumcree if they so choose. The decision whether or not to attend Drumcree rests with our members as individuals."

The statement was issued after South African mediator Mr Brian Currin urged loyalist terror groups to stay away from the area in the best interests of a long term settlement.

Mr Currin, who has been trying to broker a deal between the Orange Order and nationalist residents in Portadown, said while the dispute remained unresolved, it did not mean it would elude the parties forever.

"If loyalist paramilitaries want a resolution to Drumcree, they can best make a contribution by allowing the Orangemen to give expression to their culture and religion with dignity and in peaceful manner," he argued.

"In the interests of a long term solution, I therefore plead with the loyalist paramilitary leadership to instruct their members to stay away from Drumcree on July 8th."

PA