12th
July 2001 Resolutions
EMERGENCY RESOLUTION: Covenant for Human Rights
Being convinced in our consciences that the citizens of Northern
Ireland are being denied fundamental rights enshrined by International
and European charter and convention and afforded elsewhere
in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, we humbly
relying on God, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn covenant
throughout these times of crisis, to stand together and campaign
for the full restoration of our liberties and freedoms.
Using all available constitutional and lawful means we commit
ourselves to defend the right of all citizens to live in peace
and harmony with their neighbours free from the threat and
fear of violence implied and imposed by paramilitary groups,
of whatever complexion, who refuse to relinquish illegally
held arms.
And further, we commit ourselves to uphold the right of all
citizens to assemble peacefully in order to celebrate their
history and traditions in the firm belief that society as
a whole is enriched through greater understanding of, and
tolerance for, its varied cultural components.
To this end we call respectfully on the leaders of all democratic
nations to lend moral and political support to this cause
and urge them to use their good offices to help us deliver
to Northern Ireland a more just and peaceful society based
on the principles of freedom, equality and brotherhood. And
we ask this acknowledging the words of the philosopher and
statesman Edmund Burke:
THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL
IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING.
Please click
to sign Covenant For Human Rights
THE FAITH: Our first responsibility as Orangemen
is to be Christian, to think, speak and act as imitators of
Christ in the several relationships, situations and circumstances
of our lives; to deliberately and constantly witness to our
faith in Christ and to serve Him in the service of others.
We must do that "... in sincere love; in truthful speech
and in the power of God through bad report and good report".
Because we have this commitment to Christ and to people we
dare not be silent on what matters to us and to them. We believe
that faith in God is the proper motivating force for life
and that the lessening in our society of Christian faith and
practice has affected us so adversely that terrorism, criminality
and lawlessness are rampant.
We utterly condemn all anti-social behaviour.
We are determined to do all we can to persuade people to
lift themselves from the lows of self-interest and the gutters
of greed, to the heights of a way of life, God centred and
people orientated with the credo - God first, others second,
self last.
We are convinced that the needs of humanity can not be met
by a secular society; nor in the liberalism that belittles
and ignores the effectivenss of Christianity to give them
the fullness of life.
We believe with St. Augustine who prayed, "Thou, O God,
hast made us for Thyself and we can not rest until we rest
in Thee".
THE STATE: The Orange Institution is a Christian
organisation with concern for the lives of people, spiritual
and material. It is the business of Orangemen to bear witness
to the sacredness of human personality and to say plainly
that any system of government not just and fair to all its
citizens stands condemned by conscience and by reason.
We have questioned the impartiality of the United Kingdom
Government which has shown a preference for meeting the demands
of Sinn Fein/I.R.A. rather than the needs of a society terrorised
by them and still under threat from them. Government is only
good government when the rule of law is maintained; where
the safety and security of the citizen is a priority and decisions
are not taken on threats of violence from those who plead
for human rights for themselves but deny them to others.
As unionists we are convinced that the Union is essential
to the well being of the people of Northern Ireland regardless
of class, creed or race.
We desire the devolution which will deliver self government
without outside interference.
Our hopes and expectations are with the unionists who will
represent us and our interests in local government, legislative
Assembly and at Westminster. May they serve us well!
Back to Resolutions Index
|