The four main churches in Portadown have called on the Orange Order and the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition to meet to resolve the Drumcree issue and help defuse sectarian tensions in the town.
The appeal for direct contact between the two groups follows on mounting political and church pressure for the Orange Order to call off their continuing although token Drumcree protest. The Garvaghy residents group has already signalled its willingness to meet with the Order.
Recent sectarian violence in Portadown, particularly the violence of last weekend in which an RUC officer was seriously injured, has prompted the urgent demands for an end to the protest.
The statement yesterday on behalf of the Church of Ireland, Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist churches in Portadown urged the Order and the Garvaghy group to "activate constructive discussions with a view to finding a reasonable accommodation to the Drumcree Church parade".
The churches also called for the creation of a special forum to help find a "solution to the cultural, social and community problems in Portadown".
The churches said people had a right to protest, but that it must be "responsible, peaceful and never outside the law". "We also believe that the heightened tensions of these days would be eased considerably if an accommodation was agreed in relation to the Drumcree Church parade. Continuing violence only makes such a resolution more difficult because of the serious deterioration in community relations," their statement added.
The Garvaghy group welcomed the statement. "We acknowledge and welcome the interest shown by many people in the situation in Portadown. These are not new problems arising since July, but the result of decades of sectarianism and division. Nevertheless, we continue to remain committed to resolving all the problems facing our community through peaceful means," the group stated.
The Orange Order stated earlier this week it might be prepared to engage in proximity talks but only after the parade was allowed down the Garvaghy Road.
