The inter-communal poison that has been fomented at Drumcree in recent years must be drawn off by men and women of goodwill. That yesterday's Orange parade at Drumcree parish church passed off peacefully in the face of massive security precautions is to be welcomed. But disaffected elements generated sporadic violence elsewhere. This was entirely predictable, in spite of the appeals by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, Mr Robert Salters, for peaceful protests. Asking large numbers of people to assemble to assert their traditional "rights" is a recipe for trouble in a divided society. Particularly as those "rights" run counter to a ruling by an impartial Parades Commission and the determination of law.
There are signs of change. Discussions have taken place involving the Garvaghy Roads Residents' Coalition and representatives of the Orange Order. The British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and Northern Ireland's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, have become directly involved. The Parades Commission has noted a more considered and flexible approach by Orange institutions in their approach to the issue. Given those developments, it may be possible to broker some sort of an accommodation that will satisfy the great majority in both communities. Certainly, in light of the on-going intimidation and street violence in Portadown and elsewhere, something must be done to counter the sectarian hatred that infects both communities.
The Parades Commission was right to ban the Orange march at Drumcree this year, given the unfortunate history of the event and the delicately balanced constitutional forces at work in Northern Ireland. In 1996, the RUC buckled under the threat of Orange numbers after an initial stand-off. In 1997, the strength of the security forces was turned on the local community and the march was forced through. Last year, the British Government and the RUC stood firm in support of a decision by the newly-established Parades Commission. And Northern Ireland had to endure a week of fire-bombing, barricaded roads and intimidation, culminating in the death of the three Quinn children before the majority community pulled back from the brink. Even then, the destructive, anti-Belfast Agreement forces on the republican side sought to plunge the region into anarchy though the monstrous bombing of Omagh.
Let there be no doubt about the political agenda underlying the Drumcree protests. It is not simply a matter of Orangemen walking a traditional route. Drumcree has become a focus of opposition to the Belfast Agreement and to the various inter-communal accommodations and institutional reforms contained within that document. The Orange Order has been used by the most reactionary elements of the unionist community. As the two communities and their elected representatives debate the terms of a political accommodation proposed by the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, the need for calm reflection is vital. A new dispensation, generated by a violence-free atmosphere, could also encourage a negotiated compromise in connection with the Garvaghy Road that would satisfy pride on both sides. The alternative is a continuation of the cycle of violence and destruction.