- Author, Julian O’Neill
- Role, BBC News NI crime and justice correspondent
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An settlement which ended violence round an Orange Order parade dispute in north Belfast has collapsed.
Talks to keep up the 2016 deal broke down final week, with a march previous Ardoyne outlets now being sought on the night of 12 July.
A protest by a nationalist residents’ group is deliberate in response.
The Parades Commission will rule on the matter in two weeks’ time, with the police monitoring developments carefully.
The Order claimed the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association (Cara) had “weaponised” engagement and accused them of “bad-faith dialogue.”
Earlier, Sinn Fein north Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly mentioned it was “deeply concerning” {that a} parade has been utilized for.
“Sinn Féin will continue to stand with residents in their opposition to this parade which contravenes the 2016 agreement,” he added.
The 2016 deal was struck between a lot of Orange lodges and Cara, and defused what had change into certainly one of Northern Ireland’s most contentious parading conditions.
Cara undertook to not object to any present morning parades, which often happen about 08:30.
In return, the lodges agreed to a “voluntary moratorium” on making use of for night return parades.
The settlement acknowledged: “This moratorium would permit for a course of between the lodges and Cara to hunt settlement on future return parades and if settlement is achieved, the moratorium could be lifted.”
The settlement nearly faltered final 12 months, when there have been purposes to parade previous Ardoyne outlets within the night.
‘Bad religion dialogue’
Now the Orange Order has mentioned the 2016 deal has damaged down.
In an announcement, Spencer Beattie, Belfast County Grand Master, mentioned: “Hundreds of hours of labor and dozens of face-to-face discussions have been undermined by Cara, who’ve weaponised the dialogue course of.
“This cynical and malicious refusal to permit the three native Orange lodges and their Protestant neighbours the best to return house is a flagrant breach of the settlement and a blatant disregard for probably the most elementary of human rights.
“Regrettably, this unhealthy religion dialogue on the a part of Cara has meant a collapse of the 2016 parading settlement.”
He added the Order is “resolute” on a “right” to a return march, “no matter the opposition or threat of violence.”
The Parades Commission will now take soundings earlier than making a call, which is at present due on 3 July.
Last 12 months it mentioned purposes for a night parade confirmed a “wanton disregard” for the settlement which had secured years of peace.