26 June 2001

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH ON BLACK PARADE

THERE was a major talks breakthrough in Londonderry on Monday night.

A nationalist residents group have announced that they will not be opposing a parade by the Royal Black Institution (RBI) in the city at the end of August.

While tensions in the city were mounting over the up and coming parades, talks hosted by the City Centre Initiative between the RBI and the Bogside Residents Association resulted in a peaceful agreement between the two sides.

The Royal Black Institution is one of the main loyal orders in Northern Ireland which holds traditional marches during the summer months. This was the first time that the Black Institution had formally met a residents’ group.

The talks lasted an hour and half and afterwards Bogside Residents spokesperson Donncha MacNiallis said they would not be holding a counter demonstration on 25 August.

He said: “If there is a degree of sensitivity around all this then we shall bear that in mind. We are saying quite clearly there will be no opposition to this parade.”

The City Centre Initiative said it was a tremendous breakthrough for Derry. Garvan O’Doherty, spokesman for the Initiative, said there had been meaningful dialogue and called on the Orange Order to engage in similar discussions throughout Northern Ireland.

He added: “The people of Northern Ireland are fed up with the marching issue and they want to see it put to bed.” (AMcE)