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Members of the Orange Orders 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 tomorrows 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 Mondays 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
tradesmens entrance but, for the sake of the wider community,
we are prepared to make sacrifices".
The District says tomorrows parade will be tightly marshalled
by Orange Order stewards, and its 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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