It may be that the decision to allow the Orange Order march down the Garvaghy Road made good sense, when viewed from a strictly security perspective. The RUC Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Annesley, whose stewardship of the force has been sensitive and even handed, came to the view that he was left with no option but to reach for what he viewed as the lesser of two evils. His case, that the prospect of tens of thousands of Orangemen converging on Drumcree for the Twelfth represented a very great danger to life and limb, is not without substance. But Sir Hugh's decision to reverse his policy of four days and to allow the march to proceed raises serious questions of judgment and resolution. And the treatment of the church leaders, including Dr Daly and Dr Eames, who were working only to further peace and reconciliation, is difficult to fathom.
Policing decisions of this kind are not just about security they must be informed by the wider political considerations. As it is, the principles articulated so fervently in recent days by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, and indeed by the Prime Minister, Mr Major that mob rule must not prevail, that the sensitivities of both communities must be respected have been quite abandoned.
The mobs which attempted to make Northern Ireland ungovernable in recent days have had their way. And the rights of one community have been trampled upon. Inevitably, many will draw the same conclusion that was reached after the Ulster Workers' strike in 1974 that the British government will inevitably bend in the face of widespread civil disobedience and defiance.
The events in Garvaghy Road will also give succour to the extremists on the republican side. The IRA are watching and waiting in the wings. They will have been heartened by the manner in which the credibility of the RUC and the rule of law, in nationalist eyes, have been damaged. Using their own logic, they will be able to invoke fresh means to 'justify' their murder and carnage. But the task of political leadership is to ensure that Northern Ireland does not return to the abyss.
In this context last night's Government statement in response to the events in Portadown strikes the right note of admonishment and regret. Yesterday's events do, as the Government contends, run counter to the commitment of both Dublin and London to give 'parity of esteem' to both communities in Northern Ireland. Mr Bruton is also right to seek further details about the full background from Mr Major, including details of the British government's view on the Chief Constable's volte face.
But the overriding objective, even in these dark days, must be to revive and advance the peace process. In the light of these events many will say that the optimism generated since the republican and loyalist ceasefires were first declared almost two years ago, was naive and exaggerated. And it is clear that sectarian bitterness still poisons the heart of Northern Ireland. But Dr Daly in his statement last night went to the heart of the matter " The peace process, with all it promised all of us for a better future, must not be destroyed in the heat of the understandable passions of today".