The head of the Orange Order has called for the GAA and Opus
Dei to be added to the list of Notifiable Memberships for
the police.
The Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Robert
Saulters told a meeting of Carnmoney District L.O.L. that
the two bodies should be added to the list of Notifiable Memberships.
At present seven organisations are listed; They are: Ancient
Order of Hibernians; Apprentice Boys of Derry Association;
Freemasons; Independent Orange Order; Knights of St Columbanus;
Loyal Orange Institution (including the Women's Orange Order)
and the Royal Black Institution.
"We are opposed to being on the Notifiable Membership
list for the PSNI, and have re-iterated that position, but
we also believe that while our organisation is on the list
then there must be balance and equality and in our view this
is lacking," said Mr Saulters.
"Why should Orangemen in the PSNI have to list their
membership like some sort of notifiable disease when members
of GAA clubs with facilities named after IRA hunger strikers
do not.
"The list has some nationalist organisations and not
others, so there seems little rationale to the overall situation
and we believe this needs to be addressed," he added.
The Order says that links between some GAA Clubs and republican
events mean that the organisation is viewed with suspicion
within the Protestant community.
"While there are many genuine and dedicated sports enthusiasts
within the GAA, our research has highlighted other links with
republicanism and it is in this context that we are asking
for the GAA to be formally added to the list," said Mr
Saulters.
"This should not be left for individuals to provide
the information voluntarily, as in our view the same position
should then be taken in relation to Loyal Orders membership
and this has not been the case," he added.
The Orange Order believes the Roman Catholic group Opus Dei
should also be on the list.
"Opus Dei is a secret society which discourages its members
from making public their affiliation and, while we accept
that there are many genuine people involved, we also have
concerns about some of the allegations in relation to Opus
Dei and the context of some of the rules of the organisation,"
Mr Saulters said.
"In the interests of the Police Service of Northern
Ireland, we believe that Opus Dei should be on the list. The
PSNI have said that they did not place it there partly because
they felt membership in Northern Ireland was low, but this
fails to take into account recruitment from the Republic of
Ireland and elsewhere and also that the basis of Opus Dei
does not appear to be about numbers but about influence at
high levels.
"I understand that Opus Dei was in the original consultation
document prepared by the police but was removed. We have never
received a satisfactory explanation about why this happened.
"The premise of the Notifiable Membership scenario seems
to be that if an organisation could reasonably be regarded,
by some members or sections of the public, as affecting an
officer's ability to discharge their duties effectively and
impartially, then that officer should declare membership in
confidence and internally. In our view this is precisely the
situation with a large section of the population in relation
to the GAA and Opus Dei," he said.
"We feel it is unjust for the Orange Institution and
other Loyal Orders and others from the nationalist community
to be on the list, and yet one of the largest nationalist
organisations, the GAA, and also one of the potentially most
influential groups within the Roman Catholic community, Opus
Dei, are not listed.
"It is discrimination, plain and simple."
|
