The RUC Chief Constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, has appealed to Orange Order marchers not to "impose upon the lifestyle" of residents who do not want them to parade in their communities.
In a direct challenge to the marchers, Mr Flanagan said: "Of course you are free to march where you would choose to, but you're not free to do it in a way that imposes upon the lifestyle of others who don't want you there. That balance in society goes right to the heart of everything we do."
In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies in London yesterday, Mr Flanagan also spoke of the continued threat posed by fringe paramilitary organisations. He said paramilitary organisations still had access to large quantities of arms and explosives and "continue to train" their members. One of the ironies of the situation in the North was that if a truly enduring peace was to be established, paramilitary organisations had provided the opportunity for that peace to be delivered. Among the groups that still posed a threat were the INLA, those close to the 32County Sovereignty Committee, the CIRA and dissident members of the Provisional IRA. Other "mainline groups" held to their own definition of ceasefire and therefore still posed a threat. Mr Flanagan said that while his officers were forced to wear body armour and operate from fortified buildings to protect themselves from attack, these acted as "barriers" between officers and the community.
"Those who are clamouring most loudly for de-escalation, demilitarisation, are the very people who have forced us into those military defence stances . . . let them stop and they will very quickly see change in the way that we go about our business."
Welcoming the independent commission headed by Mr Chris Patten to look at the future of policing in Northern Ireland, Mr Flanagan said it would help the RUC implement "real, improving change." However, change that merely removed one level of disaffection and replaced it with a greater level would not work.