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Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
  Press Statements

Orange Order Calls For Calm And Common Sense At Whiterock Parade

23 June 2006

Members of the Orange Order’s Belfast No 9 District voted overwhelmingly last night to accept a recommendation from senior officers that only a token number of up to 50 Orangemen should walk through the Workman Avenue security gates on to the Springfield Road during tomorrow’s Whiterock Parade.

A District spokesman said that while members adopted the recommendation with deep disappointment they had done so for the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland concerned by the threat of civil unrest.

Following Monday’s Parades Commission ruling, only 50 of the 800 people expected on parade will go through the Workman Avenue gates while the rest of the parade will walk through the former Mackies factory site to re-join them further up the Springfield Road.

“This was a really tough decision for us”, said the District spokesman. “Being rerouted through the Mackies site is tantamount to telling us to go round the back to the tradesmen’s entrance but, for the sake of the wider community, we are prepared to make sacrifices".

The District says tomorrow’s parade will be tightly marshalled by Orange Order stewards, and it’s understood that a number of community stewards will also be deployed to look after spectators and supporters.

In addition, everyone attending tomorrow will be handed a letter from Belfast County Grand Master Dawson Bailie and No9 District Master Billy Mawhinney urging them not to fall into a Republican trap by reacting to provocation from protestors along the Springfield Road.

“More than anything, we want tomorrow to be a peaceful and enjoyable day”, said the District spokesman. “Parading is part of our culture and we shall make every effort to do so with dignity, with our heads held high and our flags flying and our bands playing. We call on everyone attending tomorrow to show calm and commonsense.”



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