THE SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, has called for all marches and "street activity" to be suspended, after what he described as the "incredible" decision taken on the Drumcree Orange parade.
His comments came as the focus of concern shifted to Derry over a contentious Orange parade due to take place in the city on Saturday.
As a clean-up operation got under way yesterday after a night of rioting in Derry, Mr Hume said there was a "very natural wide-spread anger" throughout the community, and there was a danger this anger would be expressed in violence on the streets,
"Why don't we suspend all marches and all street activity and get all parties to the table in a peaceful atmosphere and get an agreement that would end forever this 17th century nonsense?"
The SDLP leader said that if the Orange Order "really stand for civil and religious liberty, they should practise it themselves by exercising their rights responsibly".
Mr Hume said he too would have the right to lead marches all over Northern Ireland but it would be totally irresponsible for him to do it, particularly in certain areas.
However, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Right Rev James Mehaffey, said it was too simplistic to say "ban everything".
He said those who brought people out on the streets to parade or protest "had to take a lot of responsibility for the peaceful process they say they are involved
Bishop Mehaffey said he believed there was an advantage in allowing parades and protests to take place within the law, "because people feel so frustrated that if you bottle them up and say 'there's going to be no outlet for that', I think you make a bad situation worse".
Derry was facing a very serious situation because there were strong feelings of anger and frustration welting up on each side.
Because of events at the weekend, the anger and frustration was shown in protests and violence from the nationalist community. However, Bishop Mehaffey said it was important to recognise that there was also "a very deep and a very strong anger" running through the Protestant community.
"People don't seem to realise that their perception is that their culture is being constantly undermined and that their position in society is being taken away from them.
"That's how they see it," he said.
The bishop said he believed an accommodation could be reached over Saturday's parade because there was enough goodwill locally.
Mr Richard Dallas, the former Ulster Unionist mayor of Derry, said the last thing the Orange Order wanted was confrontation.
This year's 12th of July parade will bring Orange lodges from all over the north of the county into Derry. The parade takes place in the city once every five years because the location is rotated each year.
The proposed route takes in the Diamond area in the centre of the city.
Mr Dallas said it was traditional for the Orangemen to parade past the war memorial in the Diamond and lay a wreath at it. He said he could understand that the Orange Order was "in a very difficult position because they would have a great desire to show respect to the dead of two world wars".
Mr Dallas said that at discussions last year with the Bogside residents group, which is opposing the parade, all sides recognised that the city centre should be considered neutral open territory for both traditions.
The parade would not be going through or near a nationalist area or near the city walls. He called on the Bogside residents' group to show "a generosity of spirit".
Mr Dallas condemned an incident that occurred at the home of a former UUP councillor in the Waterside early yesterday morning. Mr John Adams died at Altnagelvin Hospital at 2 a.m., but just an hour before his death two petrol bombs were thrown at his home. His son, who was in the house at the time, was not injured.
Mr Dallas said the incident made the bereavement even more difficult for Mr Adams's widow.