N. IRELAND: PORTADOWN: SITUATION UPDATE

(7 Jul 1998) English/Nat British Prime Minister Tony Blair has agreed to meet a delegation from Northern Ireland's Protestant Orange Order, in a bid to ease tensions in the province. But as an added precaution against the threat of sectarian violence an extra 800 British troops are being sent in. On day three of the Drumcree standoff, security forces carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect package found next to a nationalist housing estate in Portadown. In other incidents, police in riot gear moved in to disperse a group of Loyalist youths who were blocking a road near Drumcree. The Orange Order is maintaining its standoff with security forces over an order stopping the group from marching through a hostile Catholic area. The situation here in Portadown remains tense on day three of the Drumcree standoff. The British army said it will send an extra two battalions of soldiers - 800 troops - into Northern Ireland after a second night of widespread protests. And security forces this morning carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect package left near a Catholic church. Riot police were also employed on Tuesday, to disperse a group of Loyalist (mainly Protestant) youths who were blocking a road near Drumcree. Police lined up they jeered and chanted at passing traffic, in a show of support for the Orange Order's sit-in. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We want to walk down this road, and we are determined that we will walk down this road no matter if it takes a week, a month, or a year, we will be walking down this road, because we are the law keepers, and they are the law breakers." SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, Protestant supporter The Orange Order has been engaged in a standoff with Northern Ireland's security forces since Sunday, when the controversial Drumcree March was halted before marching through the road. They are banned from taking their traditional route through Garvaghy Road because the last two years of marches have sparked riots across the province. The Orangemen in Portadown have vowed to stay put until they are allowed to proceed through the security barricade. At daybreak on Tuesday, the group's makeshift campsite near the blockade remained in place. And support for their demands spans the province. These Orangemen began a sit-in outside Hillsborough Castle - official residence of Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam - on Monday. Hillsborough lies 15 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of Belfast. They too, are prepared to stay for as long as it takes. SOUNDBITE: (English) "There are 2-hundred-and-40 Orange lodges in County Down. If we manned this for one day each that would be 240 days. We could keep this up for a long long time. SUPER CAPTION: Drew Nelson, Senior Orangeman But the current standoff has already led to violent clashes between Loyalist supporters and security forces elsewhere in the province - notably Belfast. David Trimble, the newly elected minister heading Northern Ireland's new power-sharing government, said he hoped the rioting would not continue. Trimble, a past defender of Portadown's Orangemen said he disagreed with the Parades Commission's decision to ban this year's Drumcree March from parading its traditional route through the mainly Catholic Garvaghy Road. But he said the violence was a separate issue - and he was appalled by it. SOUNDBITE: (English) SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, Northern Ireland's First Minister British Prime Minister Tony Blair has agreed to meet a delegation from the Orange Order, is a bid to ease the growing crisis in the province. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...