Following today`s latest ruling by the Parades Commission to deny the three Ligoniel Lodges and two accompanying bands to complete their 12th of July Parade, Ulster Unionist Councillor Mark Cosgrove said:
“I am extremely disappointed at both the refusal to allow the Lodges and bands to complete the 12th and the very selective references to violence contained in the Parades Commission`s determination which will, yet again, only solidify the perception in the broad Unionist community that the current commission lacks any sort of decision making balance.
“The Ulster Unionist Party utterly condemns violence from where ever it originates. Violence is wrong and only wrecks lives and destroys communities. When the Parades Commission issued their original determination in July, why were they not “mindful” of the year in, year out violence visited upon the entirely peaceful, Parades Commission compliant Loyal Order return parades, the continuous attempted murder of PSNI officers, including through firearms and the wanton destruction of Ardoyne by people who, by their arrest and conviction records thereafter, live nowhere near Ardoyne. The Parades Commission rewarded several years of republican violence, and the entirely Peaceful Loyal Order return parades, in the most perverse way possible, with a ban on the constituent part which had always been peaceful.
“The Twaddell initiative to complete this year`s 12th parade on a quiet Saturday morning in October was a genuine, real and sincere attempt to sort out a mutually beneficial solution for the 2013 parade before immediately moving into dialogue for next year`s parade - a full 40 weeks in advance of it taking place. The Crumlin Road is a shared road used by everyone. The Ardoyne Shops have been used by everyone in the community for generations. I am in politics to create a fully integrated society based on opportunity for all in a spirit of mutual respect and tolerance.
“I am positive that if a secret ballot were held throughout the area that an overwhelming majority of ordinary residents, protestant and catholic, nationalist and unionist would want this resolved. The Twaddell initiative offered just such a resolution. Someone in the Nationalist community needs to give leadership which reflects that silent majority.
“In that context this is very much a wasted opportunity by the Parades Commission not to focus on the positives and build on the substantial proposals made by the Orange Order regarding both the time and the offer of immediate dialogue for next year. They have, unfortunately, pandered to GARC`s direct and unequivocal threat which they issued chillingly yesterday.
“The issue remains unresolved and unfortunately the Commission`s ruling today just delays the inevitable lawful and peaceful return of the lodges and bands in a manner that respects them and which threatens no one.”