Sir, - Colm Kennan, (July 13th), awaits a statement from the Presbyterian Moderator concerning the recent Drumcree protests. I refer him to the lead story on the front page of The Irish Times, Thursday July 6th, headlined: "Moderator calls for Orange Order to end protest."
This correctly quotes the Moderator's statement of July 5th headlined, "Call off the Protests: Co-operate with the Parades Commission", in which he "deplores the fact that people have been called on to the streets".
The Moderator continued: "It is a known fact that many such protests get quickly out of control and thus those who call for and organise protests cannot escape responsibility for the consequences of their actions. As the Orange Order is patently unable to control these protests, their leadership should ask that they be called off."
In further interviews carried by RTE, BBC and UTV and quoted in the London Times and Independent, the Moderator stated that the Drumcree protests were "out of control" and "an insult and a disgrace to the Gospel of Christ."
The full text of the Moderator's statement can be read at www.presbyterianireland.org/ news. - Yours, etc.,
Stephen Lynas, Information Officer, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Church House, Belfast 1.