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Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
  Press Statements

Orange Order Warning On Human Rights For Protestants

17 February 2006

The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has warned that Protestants, particularly those associated with the Orange Institution, often feel intimidated and undervalued in relation to their culture.

And in a submission to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the Grand Lodge said that there was a danger that many people would socially exclude themselves from wider activities due to their perception that their culture was not respected.

Orangemen claim that there are some people in positions of influence in society who feel that the Order should be isolated.

"The roots of this situation lie in the inability of some of those in positions of power and authority to be able to recognise or respect diversity and each individual's right to self-expression of their own cultural identity," the Grand Secretary, Drew Nelson said.

"People of the Protestant tradition, especially those who have an association with the Orange Institution, often find that many barriers exist for them as they seek to explore their cultural identity and their relationship to it.

"They often feel threatened if they mention anything that associates them with the Orange tradition. As they attend their schools, community, voluntary and sporting clubs on a weekly basis, many young people feel unable to express their cultural identity as they may be laughed at or indeed may be excluded from many of the planned activities," the County Down solicitor said.

He went on to warn that many Protestants believed that attempts were being made to gradually take their culture away from them.

"To be able to encourage people to make a positive contribution to the community, they need to feel valued as individuals, in the same way that their cultural identity, and how that is expressed needs to be protected to enable them to become confident contributors to the wider community and society in general," said Mr Nelson.

The Institution is highlighting in a submission to the consultation on the Human Rights Commission's strategic plan that it is vitally important that Government Departments and bodies recognise the need to promote equality of opportunity for all.

The Grand Orange Lodge has also encouraged the Human Rights Commission in any dealings relating to the Loyal Orders to ensure that any complainants, objectors, protestors, etc, subscribe to Article 11.1 of the European Commission for Human Rights.

"We believe we have been victims of those who do not believe in our right to freedom of peaceful assembly, which has caused considerable problems to the Institution and to Northern Ireland society in the past and present," the submission states.

The Grand Orange Lodge also highlighted that it would expect, as the largest Protestant community group in Northern Ireland, to be invited to be among those to participate in such a Round Table body, without prejudice, to discuss the issue of a Bill of Rights.

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