Orange Order claim to have letter of support from Gerry Adams
The Orange Order has revealed that it has received a letter from the Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, acknowledging its right to parade.
The Order says, however, it will only believe Mr Adams bona fides if the annual Drumcree parade is allowed down the nationalist Garvaghy Road this year.
Three of the Loyalist marching Orders claimed Mr Adams had written to them, acknowledging their right to parade.
But, they claim, Sinn Féin activists had been responsible for what they called “orchestrating violence against parades”.
Gerry Adams, they said, needs to deliver on his letter as words alone were not enough.
They want to see the annual Portadown-Drumcree march proceed without protest.
In addition they are demanding support for the police and that all future Nationalist protests must be non-provocative and peaceful.
Such actions this summer, they said, would give Mr Adams' letter more credibility and would go a long way towards transforming the situation.
