GARC's Analysis of Unwelcome Parades Through Greater Ardoyne

national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Thursday June 30, 2011 21:36 by GARC - Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC)

Over the past few months, the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) have been involved in intensive meetings involving the Catholic Church, CARA, the Parades Commission, the SDLP and a number of other Youth, Community and Political groups. To give our analysis of yearly unwelcome Loyal Order parades through the greater Ardoyne community and the equally unwelcome violence and destruction which they leave in their wake.

Over the past few months, the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) have been involved in intensive meetings involving the Catholic Church, CARA, the Parades Commission, the SDLP and a number of other Youth, Community and Political groups. To give our analysis of yearly unwelcome Loyal Order parades through the greater Ardoyne community and the equally unwelcome violence and destruction which they leave in their wake.

GARC accept that the Protestant, Unionist and Loyalist community have a legitimate right to express their religion, culture, heritage and allegiance to Britain. We do not wish to hinder those rights, however, parades should take place were they are welcome and this is clearly not the case on this stretch of the Crumlin Road.

When such parades are permitted our entire community is besieged by the full might of the imbalanced, riot-clad PSNI to ensure passage through our area by whatever means necessary. The Parades Commission's ignorance of our community's rights can only be quantified that we are looked upon as the lesser of two evils and as such, second-class citizens in our own country. Therefore, GARC ask where indeed is our rights to live free from sectarian fear and intimidation.

GARC believe that morning parades are equally contentious as the evening parades. A proposal for a possible solution re: restrictions/banning upon all marches and equally any offense caused to the greater Ardoyne could be averted by the development of the alternative route into a Grade A thoroughfare (this project could be financed by the wasted billions of taxpayers money used in past and future Policing operations) which would greatly benefit the working-class of both communities. That link two Loyalist/Unionist areas at Harmony Bridge. Where the Loyal Orders could parade in excess of normal parading dates without any objections from the Catholic/Nationalist and Republican community.

Our Collective call upon all opponents of sectarian parades through Ardoyne to take follow our lead and register their opposition by their presence. However, we stress this MUST be in a calm, dignified and peaceful manner. These unwelcome marches NEED to seen for what they truly are and NOT distracted by acts of violence.