A SPOKESMAN for the Bogside Residents Group (BRG) yesterday described as "confrontational" plans by the Apprentice Boys of Derry to parade around the city's historic walls on Saturday.
The proposed parade, just two months after they tried unsuccessfully to parade around the walls on August 10th, involves 200 Apprentice Boys, representing eight parent clubs accompanied by one band.
Last August's failed attempt followed a series of unsuccessful talks between the Apprentice Boys and the BRG which were chaired by the local MP and SDLP leader, Mr John Hume.
Just days before August's foiled parade, the security forces, acting on an instruction from the Secretary of State, Sir Patrick Mayhew, sealed off the 200-yard section of the walls overlooking the Catholic Bogside area.
The Apprentice Boys announced on August 10th that they would parade on the walls at a time of their choosing. Most people believed that would be in mid-December, on the day of the traditional burning of an effigy of the Siege of Derry traitor, Lundy.
However, at a specially convened meeting of the Apprentice Boys' general committee two weeks ago, it was decided the parade should go ahead on Saturday next at 9.30 a.m. Notification was lodged with the RUC last Friday. The Apprentice Boys have applied for permission to parade around the entire mile-long route of the walls.
A BRG spokesman, Mr Donnacha MacNiallais, called on the Apprentice Boys to meet his organisation.
"I regret that they did not take up an offer from us in the aftermath of August 10th to sit down and attempt to resolve this parade issue once and for all. However, it is still not too late to do that despite the fact that the process has been made more difficult by them filing for what is essentially a confrontational parade," he said.
However, Derry's Ulster Unionist mayor, who hopes to walk in the parade, said it was unlikely that talks would take place. Alderman Richard Dallas, a member of the Apprentice Boys, said talks at this stage would be pointless.
"We spoke with the BRG last August, but their attitude then was uncompromising. I hope that on Saturday next the local members of the Apprentice Boys can walk the walls in a peaceful and dignified manner and hopefully this time unhindered by either unjust decisions by the Secretary of State or by unfriendly members of the community who are trying to deny us the right to express our culture and heritage," he said.