Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition

BLAIR SAYS UNIONISTS WILL BE BLAMED FOR FAILURE

03-07-99

The British Prime Minister has warned Northern Ireland's Ulster Unionist Party that it would be inexplicable if they were to reject the proposals for devolution he put forward yesterday with Irish premier Bertie Ahern. Writing in London's Sunday Times, Tony Blair says that if the deal is not accepted, the blame will fall on the unionists. He says it would be a tactical own goal of monumental proportions. He says that if the IRA fails to meet its obligations to disarm, the other parties can choose to move forward without Sinn Fein.

The Ulster Unionist Party has continued to criticise key aspects of the peace deal put forward by the two governments at Stormont yesterday. But it is thought unlikely that party leader David Trimble will deliver his final verdict before new talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Barbara de Bruin of Sinn Fein has warned that the Unionist Party appears to be in turmoil over the proposed deal.

Meanwhile, the tension in Portadown is rising to tonight as Orangemen massed at Drumcree Church on the outskirts of Portadown. Royal Ulster Constabulary and British Army units are preparing for the worst before tomorrow's Orange Order Parade which was banned from proceeding down the nationalist Gavaghy Road.

There were angry scenes at the end the road earlier tonight as Orangemen made their way to Drumcree Church in the latest in a series of nightly marches protesting against tomorrow's ban.

At least two bands stopped and played Orange tunes while people left St John's Catholic Church where they had been attending evening mass. A total of seven bands comprising up to 1000 people earlier marched from Portadown town center to Drumcree Church.

A woman was also hospitalized following an attack by marchers on their way to Drumcree who attempted to drag her over the barbed wire seperating the Orangemen from the local residents. She sustained arm and head injuries.

A young nationalist man from the Garvaghy Road was also badly beaten after a confrontation with police on his way home from the town via the flashpoint Tunnel area. He was taken into custody but later released for medical treatment.

There were complaints by some of the nationalist residents who gathered to watch the parade on its outward journey to Drumcree that threats had been made against them by some of the supporters accompanying the bands.

Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition spokesman Brenadan Mac Cionnaith said: "These people are supposed to be decent churchgoing men and they are stopping to play The Sash while people are inside attending mass. This is nothing but bigotry and the RUC is letting this happen."

Earlier, around 500 people gathered in Portadown town center for a rally by the Long March.

IAIS

--------------------------------------------------

Return to the Home Page

Also see archived news and updates from the GRRC.

ON THIS WEBSITE:

Email Us