NORTHERN IRELAND’S First and Deputy First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness have spoken of the need to find a resolution to the current parading difficulties that led to three nights of rioting in north Belfast.
As both politicians involved themselves in behind-the-scenes talks to avert an escalation of the trouble, Mr Robinson made clear that a key focus was to calm tensions around the massive Orange Order parade scheduled for Belfast on Saturday, September 29th.
“The immediate task, as has been indicated by the police, is to resolve the issue of the parade at the end of the month,” said Mr Robinson in Enniskillen yesterday, where he made his first appearance with Mr McGuinness since the summer break.
After the serious rioting in the Carlisle Circus area of north Belfast, which began on Sunday, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr warned that someone would be killed in the lead-up to the Orange Order parade marking the centenary of the signing of the anti-Home Rule Ulster Covenant if tensions were not defused.
Mr Robinson came in for criticism for not making a public statement on the violence. He was also criticised by Sinn Féin and SDLP politicians and by the Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor Dr Noel Treanor after he deplored a Parades Commission decision placing restrictions on a loyal order parade in Belfast last Saturday week. The breaking of these restrictions by bands playing outside St Patrick’s Catholic Church in the city centre during the Royal Black Institution parade ratcheted up sectarian tensions.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Methodist Church called on Mr Robinson to show “leadership” and to issue a “strong condemnation of all those who broke the law and broke the peace” on Saturday week. The First Minister took time from his schedule yesterday to meet the president of the Methodist Church, the Rev Ken Lindsay.
Later, in Enniskillen, he said the statement was inaccurate because, out of public scrutiny, he had “spent the last few days with people from north Belfast” working to resolve the problems. Mr Robinson said he had condemned the Parades Commission for the restrictions it placed on the Royal Black Institution parade, but said when the commission had taken its decision that became the “legal requirement”.
Mr McGuinness said: “This is a time for leadership . . . particularly for the loyal orders to show leadership. It’s incumbent upon everybody . . . to stand by the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, a court heard yesterday that teenagers arranged to take part in rioting in north Belfast through Facebook. Lawyers said the social networking site was used by those suspected of involvement in major disturbances in the Carlisle Circus area.
Three men and two boys aged 15 and 17 appeared before courts in the city accused over Monday night’s disorder. The three men were Robert Douglas (19) of Baltic Avenue, Lee Patrick McCartan (18) from Friendly Street and David Irwin (20) of Highpark Drive – all in Belfast – while the two boys could not be named for legal reasons.
