A chara, - Surely the right of a community to live in peace and not to be intimidated every year by Orange parades which are imposed on them is paramount to any right to parade. The insistence of the Orange Order on marching where they are not wanted is part of a supremacist sectarian mindset. The Orangemen's determination to parade wherever they like is supported by Mo Mowlam and the British government. Otherwise they would have banned this offensive parade long ago.
This then is the crux of the problem - that the British and the NIO continue to uphold the right of the Orangemen to parade as equally legitimate to the right of the residents of Garvaghy Road to live in peace, free from fear and intimidation. While the Orangemen are unwilling to meet with the Garvaghy residents in order to reach an accommodation, we must continue to support the residents of Garvaghy and oppose the stance of the British government and the Northern Ireland Office. We call on Church people and political leaders to support the residents of Garvaghy Road. - Yours, etc., (Fathers)
Colm Hayden, Ben Hughes, Shane McCaughey, Pat McHugh, Anthony McLaverty, Joe McVeigh, John Moley, Joseph Quinn, Tomas Walsh, Des Wilson,
Springhill Close, Belfast BT12.