Unionists playing the Orange card in north talks

Posted on Monday, January 25, 2010 at 05:44 PM

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Both the British and Irish Prime Ministers will spend today in Belfast in an attempt to keep the Northern Ireland Assembly alive.

Both men flew there yesterday in order to prevent an all out collapse of the institutions set up after the Good Friday Agreement.

I don't envy them their task. The devolution of policing and justice powers has been delayed by three years because of Unionist intransigence. Though it is a power sharing executive, the DUP led by Peter Robinson have never really accepted the notion of equality.

Robinson wants the rights of the Orange Order to march through Catholic neighborhoods restored. Currently, an independent parades commission rules on each contentious parade, and the verdict is accepted.

While nationalists would give up that right, in order to placate unionism is very hard to see.

Last week a senior member of the Orange Order joined the DUP negotiating team, a clear sign that the Orange card was being played again.

Then the Tory Party in Britain hosted a conference of unionist parties to create a united front on the issue.

The latest opinion poll shows that Tory leader David Cameron would have a bare majority if he were elected in the next election in three months time . The unionist vote then becomes vital again.

It is dirty politics played the old fashioned way but Sinn Fein is having none of it. They are right and hopefully the two leaders, Cowen and Brown can find a way forward. Otherwise time has run out for the Orange Card for once and for all.

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Realist | Jan 31, 2010, 10:52 AM EST

seanomelbourne, can you please tell us exactly what the DUP committed to in the St Andrews Agreement. Let's have a little more facts and a little less anti-Unionist rhetoric.

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Realist | Jan 31, 2010, 10:47 AM EST

"Membership is confined to men 16 years and older who are practicing Roman Catholics of Irish birth or descent and who are citizens of United States of America or who have declared their intentions to become citizens of the United States of America." This was taken from the website of the Ancient Order of Hibernians who march through Boston, New York, and many other cities in the US every year. The words elistism, sexism, racism, and sectarianism spring to mind, or is this 'just different'?

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seanomelbourne | Jan 26, 2010, 05:37 PM EST

The DUP have not honored any agreements they have signed up to They are a narrow minded racist lot,every time they march or speak it's akin to winding your watch back 300years.

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spell725 | Jan 26, 2010, 12:58 PM EST

Incredible to think that in 2010 the Orange Order still carries this type of weight. These parades are equivalent to the KKK marching in the American South during the 60s. Unadulterated racism, hatred and self-professed elitist. I wonder if we'll ever see a truly peaceful Northern Ireland. Shame.

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CTownIrish | Jan 26, 2010, 12:48 PM EST

deenaww, the OO will does not care about children safety and happiness. They have for decade after decade ruined the summers of kids in the north. They have a very skewd version of accommodation. Which always comes down to the same, us taigs submit and let them march and in return well there is no return. You can't really talk to a group who's motto is No Surrender and view everything as a life or death struggle with no middle ground. 2010 - Croppies NOT lying down!

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deenaww | Jan 26, 2010, 09:15 AM EST

This is ridiculous. Grown men willing to give up peace so they can put on an orange vest and march? Maybe these men ought to look in the faces of the children of Northern Ireland and re-evaluate what is important. Is marching more important than a land where children can safely play outside?

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saveiris | Jan 26, 2010, 08:23 AM EST

If the OO is only displaying its Protestant Culture why don't the RCs do the same; they should greet them with papal arches through which they must pass - beneath a smiling Benedict, and be sanctified with incense and holy water liberally sprinkled by their equally sanctified fellow Christians.

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Rebelforce | Jan 25, 2010, 10:14 PM EST

Well afterall, what's the point of marching in an Orange parade if you aren't even able to annoy your Catholic neighbors.

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