REVEALED: CLEAR-THE-AIR TALKS HELD OVER AFTER SECRET OO/SF TALKS RUMBLED

Twaddell banner attackedEXCLUSIVE: A RIFT between loyalists and the Orange Order over secret Ardoyne parade talks with Sinn Fein has been healed.

But not before ‘Camp Twaddell’ protestors vented their spleen at a public meeting in Ballysillan, north Belfast on Sunday evening.

They were furious after the Belfast Daily exclusively revealed last week the secret plans for talks between the Orange Order and Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly, a hate figure to loyalists in north Belfast.

A row was brewing since Belfast Daily exclusively revealed last Friday that the Orange Order was invited to two hush-hush meetings with north Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly following contact by a “facilitator”.

However, on both occasions, the former Old Bailey IRA bomber failed to turn up for the talks.

But details of the meeting were uncovered on Thursday night by protestors at ‘Camp Twaddell’ which was set up after the July 12 Ligoniel parade last year was banned from walking past the Ardoyne shop fronts.

They confronted local Orange Order leaders who confirmed that they had planned secret talks with Sinn Fein’s Kelly.

Angry camp protestors contacted the Belfast Daily requesting we expose the “Orange Order’s treachery” fearing the end of ‘Camp Twaddell” after five months.

A well-placed loyalist source told Belfast Daily on Saturday: “A showdown meeting is being planned for Sunday in Ballysillan.

“I would expect it to be very hot and very heavy. The Orange Order is in for a rough ride.

“There are accusations and counter-accusations between the protest groups and the Orange Order.

“The women of ‘Camp Twaddell” are fuming after being called liars but a lot of people on the ground are now starting to realise the Belfast Daily story is totally true.

“The Orange Order was using the cover of the Haass talks as an opportunity to trying and resolve the situation through a back channel.”

Orange Order chaplain Rev Mervyn Gibson, who was part of the DUP’s talks team at the Haass negotiations, was heavily involved in the proposed planned talks with a “courier” close to Gerry Kelly.

Loyalist parade Saturday, Sept 21“The meetings were arranged and the Orange Order leadership walked right into this with their eyes wide open.

“The Orange Order was being tested and this has now exposed their treachery.

“It showed they were willing to trade with the devil behind the backs of the people.

“The Orange Order leadership can no longer be trusted.

“They tell the people at the camp one thing and then go and set up secret talks with Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly.

“The DUP is also finished up here now too.

“They sided with the Orange Order over the talks behind the backs of their own people.

“The protestors feel totally betrayed now,” added the source.

On Sunday night, angry protestors faced down Orange Order chiefs who they had accused of going behind their backs to speak to Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly.

The well-placed loyalist source has now told Belfast Daily: “It was a hot and heavy meeting because the protestors were not happy about these talks.

“They have now agreed to stick together but for how long. How long until the next secret talk contact is made? That’s the big question.

“The fact is the Orange Order was rumbled. A carefully laid trap was laid for them and they bought it hook, line and sinker.

“They have told the protestors that they have broken off all talks and there will be no further contact until the Ligoniel lodges were allowed back by their normal route.

“But the fact is that they went behind the backs of the protestors in the first place and only because the Belfast Daily highlighted it that they have come totally clean.

“And even after they were rumbled, they were even trying to blame the Belfast Daily for what they called ‘speculation, rumour, innuendo and misinformation’.

“It is just typical of the current crop of leadership we have in the loyalist community: their attitude is ‘we have been rumbled but let’s shoot the messenger for catching us with our trousers down round our ankles’.

“The very simple fact is this: the Orange Order were prepared to get into talks with Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly and would have continued to do so only they were rumbled.

“The Belfast Daily did the loyalist a people a great service because it just showed up the sort of calibre of people who claim to lead and stand by the protestors,” added the well-placed loyalist source.

 

 

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