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The General Board of the Presbyterian Church meeting in Belfast this morning has expressed its concern about the forthcoming marching season.
Speaking after the Board meeting the Convener of the Presbyterian Church and Government Committee Dr Godfrey Brown said "This is an extremely sensitive matter with feelings running deep on every side. However we all must begin to realise that we live in a community where different traditions that are very important to one group may considerably upset others. This diversity of views must be tolerated and recognised by the entire community. If we are to build a peaceful society these differences must be affirmed and even celebrated as part of our rich culture. That may mean in certain circumstances some groups changing plans to march while other may have to allow parades through certain areas. While it is only natural justice to take account of the majority feeling of local residents, parades should be dealt with in a principled way on the basis of a widely accepted policy and not simply as a one-at-a-time agreement with each local residents group."
The General Board resolution reads:
The General Board recognise that public parades especially on main roads are part of the culture of both traditions in Northern Ireland. They call upon all those who have responsibility for public parades to show sensitivity to the feelings of those who live on parade routes, and to do nothing to provoke their anger, or cause them to feel intimidated or threatened. They also call upon residents who may oppose such parades to exercise tolerance, recognising that if we are to build a new kind of society, then it must be a genuinely multi-cultural society where the traditions of both communities are not only recognised, but affirmed and even celebrated.
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