ANOTHER Drumcree crisis could be avoided, although the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition and the Orange Order appear deadlocked in their dispute, according to the Ulster Unionist Party leader.
Mr David Trimble made his hopeful prognosis after the coalition announced counter-demonstrations to block the Orange parade passing through its area on Sunday. He said the dispute "probably" would be resolved, but would not elaborate.
The UK Unionist leader, Mr Robert McCartney, posited one possible solution. He suggested that the Drumcree parade down Garvaghy Road should be declared lawful but that the order should refrain from exercising its right to march on Sunday.
Instead, it should declare that it did not intend to march at this time" but would "exercise its right" when it wished. In this way its rights would be vindicated, Mr McCartney suggested. But the Orange Order was refusing to give details of its strategy for Sunday.
As the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, continued her efforts last night to broker an accommodation, Mr Breandan Mac Cionnaith, chief spokesman for the Garvaghy group, announced plans for counter- demonstrations.
He said that Garvaghy Road residents would stage a day-long community festival on the road on Sunday, that locals would maintain pickets along the road and that local women would stage a "Greenham Common-type" camp on the road.
Mr Mac Cionnaith claimed that the Orange Order in Armagh had agreed in writing last March to hold a private meeting with members of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition, but had failed to follow this through.
Mr Mac Cionnaith said local would continue in their efforts to find a late resolution to the disputed parade.
He urged the British government to re-route the parade away from Garvaghy Road. Local residents would try peacefully to prevent the parade proceeding down Garvaghy Road.
"But, make no mistake about it, for an Orange march to come down Garvaghy Road will mean the use of force," he said.
The festival and the pickets were designed "to demonstrate to Mo Mowlam and Ronnie Flanagan that we are not the least-worst option. We are not the lesser of two evils. This community is not evil. This is a decent community".
Colour posters designed by Robert Ballagh have been printed to advertise the festival, called Feile na mBoithre, and about five music groups, including a Welsh choir, are expected to participate.
Amid rumours that the RUC plans to erect large security screens on the road to facilitate the Garvaghy Road parade, Mr Mac Cionnaith said that hundreds of local people would picket the road nightly until Sunday.
Moreover, a group of about 30 women would stage a "Greenham Common-type" camp on or near the road in the coming days. The women would be engaging in a 24- hour vigil, he said.
Mr Mac Cionnaith said the local protests would be peaceful. He appealed for nationalists from outside Portadown to stay away from the area and leave the counter-demonstrations to local nationalists.
"We don't want 10,000 nationalists confronting 10,000 Orangemen. That would be in nobody's interests," he added.
Dr Mowlam, who met members of the Portadown Orange Order yesterday, said she was surprised at the announcement. "I have to say I am a bit surprised. I am still trying to fit in another meeting with them. I hope any demonstration is peaceful and within the law, and in the end I will still work for common sense to prevail, as I am sure many on the Garvaghy Road will," she added.
