DEMO MAY BE CALLED OFF
Demo may be called off
By William Allen
NATIONALIST residents of Ballycastle are to meet within the next 48 hours to decide whether to cancel their protest at Saturday's Royal Black Preceptory parade as a mark of respect to the Omagh bomb victims.
A loyalist flute band, banned from staging a parade in the town next week, today demanded face-to-face talks with the residents - but said it would accept the Parades Commission's ruling because of the current circumstances.
Silver Plains Flute Band urged the residents to engage in dialogue to reach an accommodation before next year's annual band parade.
The call to cancel Saturday's protest was made by a PUP member, Richard Rogers, who said residents initially called for talks with the band but objected when PUP members from nearby Ballymoney were included in the delegation.
A spokesman for the residents group said talks may be held at a later date.
He said: "The band put forward PUP members from Ballymoney and not its own members to speak to the group and we could not see how this could achieve anything with the parade so close.
Meanwhile, the Strabane Concerned Residents Group said today that it will send a delegation to "monitor" Saturday's restricted Royal Black Preceptory parade in the town.
By William Allen
NATIONALIST residents of Ballycastle are to meet within the next 48 hours to decide whether to cancel their protest at Saturday's Royal Black Preceptory parade as a mark of respect to the Omagh bomb victims.
A loyalist flute band, banned from staging a parade in the town next week, today demanded face-to-face talks with the residents - but said it would accept the Parades Commission's ruling because of the current circumstances.
Silver Plains Flute Band urged the residents to engage in dialogue to reach an accommodation before next year's annual band parade.
The call to cancel Saturday's protest was made by a PUP member, Richard Rogers, who said residents initially called for talks with the band but objected when PUP members from nearby Ballymoney were included in the delegation.
A spokesman for the residents group said talks may be held at a later date.
He said: "The band put forward PUP members from Ballymoney and not its own members to speak to the group and we could not see how this could achieve anything with the parade so close.
Meanwhile, the Strabane Concerned Residents Group said today that it will send a delegation to "monitor" Saturday's restricted Royal Black Preceptory parade in the town.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0276
Published Date: 26-Aug-98
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