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The Orange Order today urged the Government to set up a Freedom
of Peaceful Assembly Commission or "Freedom PAC"
with powers to control both public parades and any associated
protests by local residents.
Giving evidence in London to the Commons Northern Ireland
Affairs Committee on the Quigley Report into parading legislation
in the Province, the Orange Order delegation led by Grand
Master Robert Saulters described the Freedom Pac proposal
as "robust, fair, simple and open".
The Committee was told that the Order opposed current parading
legislation because the Parades Commission's powers only applied
to parade organisers and not to anti-parade protest groups.
This allowed so-called residents groups influenced by or under
the direct control of terrorist organisations to use the threat
of violence to get the Parades Commission to ban or restrict
peaceful parades.
The Order also rejected Sir George Quigley's proposed reforms
which it described as burdensome, time consuming, expensive
and potentially illegitimate since they would further restrict
the right to freedom of peaceful assembly enshrined in the
European Convention on Human Rights.
Under the Order's "Freedom PAC" proposals, MPs
were told, one body would be responsible for both parades
and anti-parade protests. It would be compulsory for organisers
on both sides to notify the new Commission of any public assembly.
The Commission would first satisfy itself that there was
a peaceful intention to the proposed parade or protest and
that the organisers were entirely committed to democratic
principles. Once the peaceful intent of the parade or protest
had been established, Freedom PAC would convene a meeting
between the police, parade and counter-protest groups entirely
committed to democratic principles. Those attending the meeting
would have right to ask questions of others present with full
disclosure of all information submitted.
Following the meeting Freedom PAC would issue two separate
determinations on the parade and counter-protest and impose
any restrictions it thought necessary. The Commission's determinations
would be open to review by the Secretary of State in case
of emergency for the protection of public safety and both
parade and protest organisers would have the right to challenge
Freedom PAC's decisions in the courts.
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