UK: N.IRELAND: PETER MANDELSON

(8 Jul 2000) English/Nat XFA Britain's minister for Northern Ireland, Peter Mandelson, arrived in Portadown on Saturday to assure the Army and R-U-C that they would have the full resources required to deal with any violence during Sunday's contentious Orange Order parade through Portadown to Drumcree. Addressing troops at Mahon Army Barracks, Mandelson condemned the violence that has surrounded the week-long Drumcree protests and described those involved as "a rabble". The R-U-C Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan said the violence had diminished over the last 48 hours. Mandelson urged the Orangemen to refrain from further violence and go about their business in a responsible way. Speaking after a meeting with the R-U-C Chief Constable and military chiefs in Portadown on Saturday, Peter Mandelson said on Saturday it is time to end even legitimate protest. He said that what he called the hijacking of the Orange parade was intolerable. And he expressed particular disappointment that the leader of Portadown Orangemen, Harold Gracey, had refused to condemn the violence in recent days following the banning of Sunday's Orange Order parade from the nationalist Garvaghy Road. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Time, I'm afraid for legitimate protest is behind us. We've now seen other elements taken over here, the rabble, thuggish elements, representatives of paramilitary hijacking this process and it's intolerable. I'm sorry that it has not been condemned more outspokenly by locals here. Whilst we've seen right across Northern Ireland the Orange Order, that institution, going about their business in a responsible way, in a peaceable way. That's what I want to see here at Drumcree as well. And it's not too late to do that." SUPERCAPTION: Peter Mandelson, Northern Ireland Secretary Mandelson said it was not too late to restore order in time for Sunday's march. SOUNDBITE (English): "It's not too late. If we can just put the events of this week -- the violence, the thuggery, the violence perpetrated by the rabble that we've seen here and in other parts of the province -- reject it and put it behind us. Turn now to a proper, responsible and sensible way forward. That's what I want to see happen." SUPERCAPTION: Peter Mandelson, Northern Ireland Secretary In the latest riot statistics released on Friday, police said 37 officers and two soldiers had been wounded during the course of 145 attacks on their forces in the past week, including a dozen gun attacks. However, the R-U-C chief, Ronnie Flannigan, said the force has been doing everything possible throughout the week and the violence has been subsiding over the last two days. SOUNDBITE (English) "We've operated right throughout this week in a very graduated way. And we've done that to allow every facility for a legitimate peaceful process. We've seen, actually, over the last 48 hours a certain stabilization. I think that's because in the areas affected people are standing up and saying 'We don't want this'. 'Who's it inconveniencing?' What's it achieving?' I want to see that stabilisation continuing. And we will facilitate legitimate process if that's what people want to engage in." SUPERCAPTION: Ronnie Flannigan, RUC Chief Constable Soldiers were put through riot drills in fields outside Drumcree church on Saturday, in anticipation of serious trouble during Sunday's parade. Police said they had seized 268 gasoline bombs and arrested 55 people over the week. All the signs show that the last-minute efforts to defuse conflict over the Protestant marches have failed. 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...