Panel to probe NI parades dispute

The British Government has established a panel of experts to examine a long-standing parading dispute in Belfast that has been the source of bitter community tensions and outbreaks of serious violence.

The announcement from Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers comes in response to calls from a coalition of unionist and loyalist politicians and Orange Order leaders to set up a commission of inquiry into the impasse at the Woodvale/Ardoyne interface in the north of the city.

The body that adjudicates on contentious routes – the Parades Commission – has prevented Orangemen from parading past the nationalist Ardoyne neighbourhood at the conclusion of the traditional Protestant loyal order Twelfth of July demonstrations for the last two years.

While there was no trouble this summer when police halted the parade from proceeding further than Twaddell Avenue in the adjacent unionist Woodvale area, last year loyalists rioted for a number of successive nights after the procession was stopped.

In previous years, republicans engaged in serious disorder in Ardoyne when the Parades Commission permitted the Orangemen to complete their return journey along the Crumlin Road past the area.

Loyalists have manned a protest camp close to the Ardoyne/Twaddell Avenue interface since July 2013. The total cost of policing the camp for the last 15 months is in excess of £12 million.

The pan unionist/loyalist/Orange coalition had called on Ms Villiers to set up a commission of inquiry to try to resolve the long-running wrangle.

Unionist leaders had indicated Ms Villiers’ response to their demand would impact on how they engaged with a wider political talks initiative planned by the Government to address disputes over flags, parades and the past and also tackle a Stormont budget crisis.

It is understood the coalition was also planning 18 Northern Ireland wide protests if the Government did not accede to its call.

But nationalists and republicans had voiced strong opposition to the suggestion of a commission of inquiry, insisting it would undermine the authority of the Government appointed Parades Commission.

Ms Villiers said she had decided to task a panel of experts to examine the issue.

“Earlier this summer when the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland issued its 12 July determination on the proposed Orange Order return parade in the Ardoyne and Twaddell area of north Belfast, it made a number of important observations,” she said.

“The commission said that the deep-seated issues around parades in the Crumlin Road area need to be addressed by a ’structured, managed, cohesive approach which provides a framework into which whole communities can contribute, have their voice heard and formulate creative responses’. The commission called for a wider process with sufficient resources to tackle these issues.

“Following further encouragement to respond positively to the commission’s call in the media, and a separate but related call for a ’commission of inquiry’ tabled by a cross section of unionists, I held several rounds of meetings with NI political leaders and other interested parties.

“From the outset I made clear that nothing would be done which undermined the role or remit of the Parades Commission as the lawful authority for adjudicating contentious parades in Northern Ireland.

“In discussion, there were divergent views about the merits of such a proposal. But there was also a measure of consensus that something had to be done to help break the deadlock in the Ardoyne/Twaddell area. And that mediation and dialogue between local people aimed at reaching a local accommodation should be an essential ingredient of any such approach.

“Having listened carefully to the views expressed I consider that there is merit in a panel being established to look at this issue.”

She added: “I believe that efforts to build mutual understanding and trust between the different sides in this dispute, through dialogue and mediation are worth investing in. It is in the interests of everyone affected, and indeed the whole of Northern Ireland, that a way forward is found towards a local resolution. I hope all sides will engage constructively with the panel.”

Ms Villiers said the panel of experts would be chaired by a representative from civil society or an academic who can command trust, supported by a secretariat with the requisite skills.

She said she would make the appointments to the panel in consultation with the Stormont Executive.

The initiative is being funded by the Northern Ireland Office and the panel has been asked to report by January 31, 2015.

Ms Villiers also published the panel’s terms of reference with a set of principles to underpin its work.

She outlined the terms of reference:

:: to receive written and oral information from all interested parties involved in parading or protest action in this area

:: to commission research to assess contemporary attitudes to parading or protest action in this area

:: to produce a factual account of historic parading and protest action in this area and a synopsis of previous attempts to resolve the impasse

:: to produce a factual account of the factors that have influenced the local divide (between communities drawn from the two main traditions in Northern Ireland) in this area

:: to engage with stakeholders drawn from both sides of the community divide, to include Loyal Order, political, community, church and business representatives, with the aim of mediating agreement on future Loyal Order parades in this area

:: to report on the terms of any local agreement reached

:: to produce a Chairman’s report reflecting on the Panel’s work with observations that could inform (i) future efforts to reach a local agreement and build mutual respect and understanding between loyal orders and local residents in North Belfast (ii) future determinations made by the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland and (iii) ongoing discussions on a devolved regulatory framework for parades.

The Northern Ireland Secretary then set out the key principles:

:: the Panel should look at the totality of parading issues in this area on an all-year round basis

:: the Panel’s work shall not affect the ongoing role of the Parades Commission as the authority for determining parades

:: to be successful, the process needs to be able to engage effectively with both sides of the community

:: the process needs to coincide with a resumption of wider inter-party talks

:: the establishment of the process should encourage a scaling back of parades-related protest actions in the area in order to de-escalate local tensions.

Sinn Féin have rejected the new panel and accused the British Government of bowing to unionist pressure.

Gerry Kelly said: “What she (Theresa Villiers) has announced is basically the British government kowtowing to an ultimatum made by the unionist parties after they walked out of the party leadership talks.

“It is the wrong way to approach this.”

He said it was not acceptable that the British Secretary of State should pick a panel.

The North Belfast MLA added: “It does undermine the Parades Commission no matter what she says.”

Mr Kelly said the issues around Ardoyne should be discussed as part of forthcoming all party talks.

“This is not about dialogue. This is not about mediation. It is about allowing unionism to make a precondition before going into very important talks.

“It does not bode well for the talks.

“If they have an issue, and clearly they do, then the place to bring it is into those talks.”

Meanwhile the SDLP claimed the panel of experts was a “back door” method of undermining the Parades Commission.

Alban Maginness MLA said: “The Parades Commission is the lawful authority for regulating parades in Northern Ireland. We are determined to support that. But what she (Ms Villiers) is doing is effectively undermining the commission by the back door.”

He said they had concerns about he structure of the new panel and claimed its remit went beyond the issue of Ardoyne.