Paisley says SDLP must be told to rejoin forum

THE DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, has called on the Northern Secretary to demand that the SDLP rescind its decision to withdraw from the Northern Ireland forum. If the SDLP boycotted the forum it would be "scuppering" the multi party talks, he said.

Dr Paisley has also called for a special forum committee to examine the contentious issue of public order at parades.

His deputy, Mr Peter Robinson, said it would be up to the forum to decide whether it would accept submissions on parades from groups like the Garvaghy Residents Association and the Lower Ormeau group. However, because of these groups alleged republican links, he doubted whether they would be prepared to put their cases to the forum.

Dr Paisley accused the British and Irish governments of conniving to try and have the Drumcree Orange march re routed. The purpose of this alleged collusion was to bring Sinn Fein/IRA into the talks process, he said yesterday.

"To achieve this they had jointly to create the circumstances whereby another IRA ceasefire would be called. By facing down the unionist people at Drumcree they planned to create such circumstances whereby the IRA would call another ceasefire," he added.

"Their failed strategy resulted in an unprecedented rising throughout the unionist community. Unionist people are saying enough is enough. We refuse to be corralled into a talks process with the IRA," Dr Paisley said.

"The myth, circulated by John Hume and the SDLP, that there would never be a Protestant backlash is exploded," he added.

The SDLP could not boycott the forum and then expect to continue in the talks process. "By boycotting the talks, the SDLP are encouraging the IRA to continue with their orchestrated street disturbances and they are destabilising the province to the advantage of the Irish Government."

Dr Paisley said he will meet the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, today seeking a ruling on the status of the talks and "demanding from the SDLP their participation in the forum. Otherwise, they will be scuppering the talks.

Dr Paisley said he was looking forward to today's multi party talks at Stormont where he intended to confront the Tanaiste, Mr Dick Spring "eyeball to eyeball". Mr Spring must realise he has no jurisdiction in Northern Ireland. Now was the time for the Anglo Irish Agreement to be "scrapped", he added.

The DUP leader dismissed the suggestion that the SDLP might justifiably be reluctant to engage with mainstream unionists when these parties supported and encouraged the Orange Order in breaching the rule of law and order.

How could the SDLP adopt such a stance when the party leader, Mr John Hume, spoke directly to the IRA, which has been wreaking death and destruction on Northern Ireland for over 25 years, he said.

Dr Paisley said most nationalists on the Garvaghy Road did not support those republicans who were allegedly trying to hijack the nationalist protest for their own selfish reasons.

He said some SDLP type nationalists involved in seeking a compromise at Garvaghy had been prepared to accept a solution in which the local Orange Order would state it was not marching down Garvaghy Road in a gesture of "triumphalism", but that it was parading down the road as a victory for peace, and as an expression of its religious convictions".

Mr Robinson said the Drumcree standoff happened because unionist civil liberties were at stake. Every strata of the unionist community supported the protest, he said.