The Five Demands

Il reverendo Gibson, voce autorevole dell’orangismo irlandese, ha accusato l’ordine cui appartiene di inequità e faziosità in seno ad alcune decisioni.

Lo scorso luglio, l’Orange Order aveva decretato il suo parere negativo per trentasette voti contro trentadue favorevoli sulla riforma della Parades Commission.
La proposta di legge era stata redatta per sancire gli effetti dell’accordo di Hillsborough e prevedeva, appunto, la riforma dell’istituzione per la gestione e regolamentazione delle parate in Irlanda del Nord.
Il testo al vaglio dell’Ordine di Orange era stato presentato dal DUP dopo stringenti colloqui con il Sinn Fein.
Oggi il reverendo Mervyn Gibson ha criticato duramente questo voto, parlando di decisione politica e faziosa. Secondo il reverendo, infatti, sarebbero intervenuti giochi di potere all’interno dell’ordine, espressosi negativamente sulla riforma per il fatto che “era stata presentata dal DUP”.
Gibson ha definito la bocciatura un “incidente di percorso” contro gli stessi interessi dell’Ordine di Orange che “da anni cercava questo tipo di legislazione”.
Dalle parole dell’orangista, risulta chiaro come, ad oggi, convivano all’interno dell’ordine diverse anime politiche e che queste influenzino pesantamente le decisioni e la vita stessa dell’istituzione protestante.

Related Articles

• Orangeman condemns bill rejection (bbc.co.uk)
• Orange Order Votes To Retain Parades Commission (politics.ie)

Party politics behind Orange vote – Mervyn Gibson (BBC News Northern Ireland)
A leading Orangeman has blamed party politics for the Orange Order rejection of draft legislation which would have seen the Parades Commission replaced.
The proposals were contained in the Draft Public Assemblies Bill and had been agreed by the DUP and Sinn Fein.
They were rejected by 37 votes to 32 by members of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in July.
Rev Mervyn Gibson said he did not expect the vote against the proposed changes.
“I believe there was internal party politics being played out and it wasn’t against the legislation it was against the party who was delivering that legislation,” he said.
“The leadership of the Grand Lodge of Ireland were looking for this legislation and sought this legislation over many years.
“I think what has caused this hiccup, shall we say, has been those within the institution who just don’t want it because it was delivered by the DUP.”
Mr Gibson is an advisor to the joint working group on parades set up following the Hillsborough Agreement.
The draft legislation focused on dialogue and a code of conduct for both residents and marchers. It also spelled the end of the Parades Commission.
However, some aspects have also concerned the police in terms of what would be deemed as a public assembly under the legislation.