\u2014 Rev Karen Sethuraman (@KarenSethuraman) October 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n They acknowledged that parading remains an important tradition for many within the Protestant community, saying some of the signatories have family and friends for whom it is important and some have been directly involved themselves.<\/p>\n However, they appealed directly to the Orange Order to \u201clook towards the bigger picture and bring this impasse to an end in the interests of our entire community\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognise its importance to many in our community,\u201d the letter states.<\/p>\n \u201cThe vast majority of loyal order parades take place each year without restrictions \u2013 an outcome enabled by agreements and arrangements reached after exhaustive efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of that is now being called into question, with potentially devastating consequences far beyond Portadown.\u201d<\/p>\n The signatories said residents of the Garvaghy Road were being subjected to renewed trauma after \u201c28 years of calm\u201d.\n<\/p>\n We must avoid the abyss we are currently staring into.<\/p>\n They also called on the British and Irish governments to work together \u201cwithout delay\u201d to resolve the dispute and ensure the parading framework is \u201crobust and trusted\u201d.<\/p>\n Among those listed as signing the letter are retired Independent and former Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn, European unionist Jane Morrice, Presbyterian minister Ricky Montgomery and a number of other clergy, community workers, academics and retired public servants.<\/p>\n The letter states that descriptions attached to signatories\u2019 names are for identification purposes only and that all signed in a personal capacity.<\/p>\n US politicians intervene<\/p>\n In a separate intervention, 14 members of the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus have written to Bryant calling on the British government to cancel the parade.<\/p>\n The group includes congressmen Richard Neal and Brendan Boyle.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout decisive action, we risk reopening one of the most painful chapters of Northern Ireland\u2019s history and undermining nearly three decades of peace, stability, and reconciliation made possible by the Good Friday Agreement,\u201d the letter states.<\/p>\n The representatives said allowing the march to proceed would \u201creopen wounds that have yet to fully heal\u201d and described the dispute as a \u201cconsequential moment on the island of Ireland\u201d.<\/p>\n This is a consequential moment on the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n The Orange Order parade represents a return to the divisions of the past. After 28 years of progress thanks to the Good Friday Agreement, we have come too far to turn back now.<\/p>\n Today, I joined my colleagues in the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/W61JmWlvZ4<\/a><\/p>\n
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