Congressman Richard E. Neal (D-MA-01) and U.S. Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus, have penned a bipartisan Friends letter to Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Bryant calling on the government of the United Kingdom to cancel the Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road.
"Over the last three decades, the progress made on the island of Ireland has been nothing short of extraordinary. Twenty-eight years have passed since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and a generation has grown without a single memory of the Troubles," the lawmakers wrote.
"It was that same 28-year period that saw the end of the controversial Orange Order marches on Garvaghy Road in a majority-Catholic area of Portadown. During the Troubles, these parades became a symbol of the sectarian tensions, public disorder, and violence that once threatened Northern Ireland’s peace.
"This is a consequential moment on the island of Ireland, which is why we respectfully urge you to put a stop to this march," continued the house members.
"Failing to intervene and allowing this contentious parade to move forward would risk undermining the progress that has been painstakingly built over the past three decades. As a guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the United States has a vested interest in seeing the principles embodied in the accord upheld, ensuring the gains we have achieved can be enjoyed for generations to come."
Here is the full text of the letter: "As Members of the Friends of Ireland Caucus, we respectfully urge you and the Government of the United Kingdom to cancel the Orange Order parade on Garvaghy Road.
"Without decisive action, we risk reopening one of the most painful chapters of Northern Ireland’s history and undermining nearly three decades of peace, stability, and reconciliation made possible by the Good Friday Agreement.
"Over the last three decades, the progress made on the island of Ireland has been nothing short of extraordinary. Twenty-eight years have passed since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and a generation has grown without a single memory of the Troubles. Whether they realize it or not, their hopes and aspirations will forever be shaped by years of tireless diplomacy that have brought us to this moment.
"It was that same 28-year period that saw the end of the controversial Orange Order marches on Garvaghy Road in a majority-Catholic area of Portadown. During the Troubles, these parades became a symbol of the sectarian tensions, public disorder, and violence that once threatened Northern Ireland’s peace.
"The Parades Commission has prevented the proposed march down Garvaghy Road year after year, and for good reason. This march harkens back to decades of sectarian rule and the divisions that defined one of the darkest periods in Ireland’s history.
"For those who have dedicated their lives to achieving peace and stability, allowing this march to
proceed would reopen wounds that have yet to fully heal. For the next generation, who want nothing more than peace, prosperity, and a shared future, this would represent a marked step backward.
"This is a consequential moment on the island of Ireland, which is why we respectfully urge you to put a stop to this march.
"Failing to intervene and allowing this contentious parade to move forward would risk undermining
the progress that has been painstakingly built over the past three decades. As a guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the United States has a vested interest in seeing the principles embodied in the accord upheld, ensuring the gains we have achieved can be enjoyed for generations to come. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
In addition to Neal and Kelly the letter was signed by Reps. Timothy M. Kennedy, William R. Keating, Brendan F. Boyle, Val Hoyle, Lloyd Doggett, Debbie Dingell, Stephen F. Lynch, James P. McGovern,
John B. Larson, James Gallagher, Joe Courtney and Jimmy Gomez.
