N. IRELAND: PORTADOWN: SITUATION UPDATE (2)

(7 Jul 1998) English/Nat
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has agreed to meet a delegation from Northern Ireland's Protestant Orange Order, in a bid to ease tensions in the province.
Blair is extremely unlikely to reverse the Parades Commission decision to ban the parade from the nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown.
But the Democratic Unionist Party Leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley who organised the meeting insists that sooner or later the Government will have to change its mind.
As an added precaution against the threat of sectarian violence an extra eight-hundred British troops are being been sent to the province.
The Orange Order is still maintaining its standoff in Portadown with security forces over an order stopping the group from marching through a hostile Catholic area.
Police in riot gear moved in to disperse a group of Loyalist (mainly Protestant) youths who were blocking a road in Portadown.
The British army said it will send an extra two battalions of soldiers - eight-hundred troops - into Northern Ireland after a second night of widespread protests.
Police lined up they jeered and chanted at passing traffic, in a show of support for the Orange Order's sit-in.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We want to walk down this road, and we are determined that we will walk down this road no matter if it takes a week, a month, or a year, we will be walking down this road, because we are the law keepers, and they are the law breakers."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, Protestant supporter
The Orange Order has been engaged in a standoff with Northern Ireland's security forces since Sunday, when the controversial Drumcree March was halted before marching through the road.
They are banned from taking their traditional route through Garvaghy Road because the last two years of marches have sparked riots across the province.
The Orangemen in Portadown have vowed to stay put until they are allowed to proceed through the security barricade.
At daybreak on Tuesday, the group's makeshift campsite near the blockade remained in place.
And support for their demands spans the province.
These Orangemen began a sit-in outside Hillsborough Castle - the official residence of Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam - on Monday.
Hillsborough lies 15 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of Belfast.
They said they were prepared to stay for as long as it takes.
The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Reverend Ian Paisley - on the request from Portadown Orange Order leaders - has set up a face-to-face meeting with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
But despite the government stating it will not reverse the Parades Commission's earlier decision - the Reverend believes otherwise.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"These men will be going down the road anyway - and they'd be far better to let them down before the 12th July because anybody here with any imagination knows what's going to happen on the 12th July. (Applause from crowd behind) If they have enough imagination to realise that the 12th July will be the settling day - then they are being very foolish."
SUPER CAPTION: Reverend Ian Paisley, Democratic Unionist Party Leader
The current standoff has already led to violent clashes between Loyalist supporters and security forces elsewhere in the province - notably Belfast.
David Trimble, the newly elected minister heading Northern Ireland's new power-sharing government, said he hoped the rioting would not continue.
But he said the violence was a separate issue - and he was appalled by it.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
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[@frankieocco4751]

Sad

[@williamgoldsmith3796]

The man of God threatening violence against his Catholic neighbours, what a hypocrite he was.

[@erniescullion8452]

As an Example Even Google the Battles in The Bible that tried to control and control Gods people Future How Even a little place like Israel will win The Battle of Armageddon we are day closer every day. Well only if your inept of understanding He wasn't threatening.If you read your Bible you'd find alot where God's children had to fight to protect them selves.

[@EamonCuddy]

Have they no work to go to wasters