THE clergy of all four main denominations in the village of Castlederg, Co Tyrone, have issued a joint statement calling on their community to reject divisive action and help build bridges.
A Catholic priest, Father Jim McGonagle, signed the statement, along with the Rev Tom Deacon (Methodist), Canon Walter Quill and Canon W. Gibbons (Church of Ireland), and the Rev Roy Neill and the Rev Richard Graham (Presbyterian).
Their statement said. "The last three or four weeks have been disruptive and regrettable in Northern Ireland. This has had a bearing on our own community.
"The illegal and irresponsible blocking of roads affected the whole community and is regretted by the vast majority of the people.
"The misunderstanding and rumours which naturally followed has led to an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust. The outcome of this has been a concerted boycotting of certain Protestant business premises in the town.
"As local Christian leaders pledged to reconciliation and to the building of bridges, we appeal to our people to act in a Christian way, rejecting all rumour, gossip and divisive courses of action."
Meanwhile, the SDLP group on Magherafelt Council, Co Derry, has announced that it is to introduce a motion at the next council meeting that sanctions he taken against the council vice chairman, Cllr Bertie Montgomery of the Ulster Unionist Party.
Because of reports that Cllr Montgomery participated in the Orange blockade of Tobermore, Co Derry, during the Drumcree crisis, the SDLP motion proposes that he be forbidden from representing the council in a civic capacity for the rest of his term of office.