Statement by TUV Castlederg representative Robert Oliver:
“I am alarmed to learn that the anti-Unionist Parades Commission has written to parade organisers in Castlederg advising them that the Commission “intends to review the parading situation” in the area.
“They have told organisers that they have received “representations” which “have highlighted a number of issues impacting on parading including the frequency of parades, sensitivities around certain parading routes and opportunities for dialogue between parade organisers and community representatives”.
“The Commission doesn’t spell out who made these “representations” but it doesn’t take a genius to work out who the chief suspects are.
“Last year the people of Castlederg were subjected to a Republican coat trailing exercise as they celebrated the lives of terrorists who died while on their way to plant a bomb deigned to visit death and destruction upon a village which suffered more than most during the Troubles. Over the course of the IRA’s terror campaign 28 Protestants from the area were murdered by the IRA and over 50 bomb attacks were carried out in the village.
“Now Republicans – aided and abetted by their ever willing friends the Parades Commission – plan to mount a fresh attack on Unionist culture.
“This follows attempts in recent days to remove the traditional marching season decorations in the town. Castlederg has always displayed red, white and blue bunting during July and August yet this year – for the first time ever – there were suggestions that this should be removed. Now the Parades Commission tells us that they plan to launch a new front in the attack on Unionist culture.
“The fact that the Commission would find time to write threatening letters to parade organisers just days before Republicans in Co Fermanagh hold a terror demonstration in a village which has seen many murders at the hands of the IRA says a great deal about their priorities and agenda.
“The Commission knows that they have NO credibility with anyone in the Unionist community and that no Unionist party will now engage with them at any level because of their transparently Republican agenda. They should keep their nose out of the Unionist and Loyalist parades in Castlederg around which there has never been issues before the Commission and Sinn Fein decided to manufacture them.
“The Commission isn’t interested in solving problems but rather imposing cultural apartheid.”