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> > Orange Order's threat to take up arms
> >========================== > > Catholic and SNP outrage as Lodge Grand Secretary warns of terrorism > > if Scotland achieves independence > > > > By Neil Mackay, Home Affairs Editor > > > > THE Orange Order in Scotland is threatening to transform itself into > > a Protestant paramilitary organisation if the SNP ever win a mandate > > for Scottish independence. > > > > In a taped interview with the Sunday Herald, Jack Ramsay, the Grand > > Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, claimed Orangemen > > who found themselves threatened with life in an independent Scotland > > would turn into an underground force, which would not rule out a > > recourse to arms, in a bid to preserve their Britishness. > > > > When asked what would happen if Scotland moved to sever ties with the > > union, Ramsay said: 'The Orange Order would become a paramilitary > > force, if you like.' > > > > He is now facing calls for a police inquiry into the statement, > > following a barrage of criticism from the Scottish National Party and > > the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland that his comments may inflame > > sectarian tension in the run-up to the annual Twelfth of July > > celebrations in Ulster and Scotland. > > > > Ramsay said the prospect of an independent Scotland would see the > > Orange Order become like 'a spy behind enemy lines' and turn into a > > rallying point for those bitterly opposed to independence. The SNP > > was a 'threat to Scotland and Britain,' he added. 'If people became > > disenchanted with Labour and turned to the SNP, the nationalists > > would start screaming that they have a mandate for separatism. That > > would be very dangerous.' > > > > 'We would find ourselves in difficulties,' he added. 'If that was the > > case I think we'd end up a proscribed organisation. The people who > > would join us then would not be those who would have joined if the > > Orange Order was legal.' > > > > The likelihood of the Orange Order, which has around 50,000 members, > > being banned in the event of it turning to paramilitary activity did > > not seem to worry Ramsay. 'If you proscribe an organisation, you > > strengthen it', he said. > > > > When asked a second time if his reference to a ''paramilitary > > organisation'' suggested terrorism, Ramsay said: 'It obviously > > implies a recourse to arms'. Asked a third time, he said he would > > prefer the description 'a more militant organisation''. He > > added: ''If we were separated from the UK, we would have a caucus of > > people who would be pro the union. The logical development of that > > would obviously mean some form of confrontation. If we were > > proscribed we would go underground, and anything that's underground > > surfaces.' > > > > Ramsay emphasised that no violence was acceptable at the moment apart > > from actions taken by the RUC and the army, who he said 'had a > > licence to kill and acted with the legitimacy of the British state'. > > > > Ironically, the sabre-rattling comes as the Orange Order in Scotland > > is planning to hire public relations consultants to overhaul its > > image. > > > > The SNP's deputy leader and shadow justice minister Roseanna > > Cunningham savaged Ramsay and the Orange Order for the comments. She > > said: 'This is an extraordinary statement. Ramsay has done more in > > one sentence to destroy his organisation than years of political > > criticism ever could. Independence in Scotland will only come through > > the democratic process. To suggest that an organisation would go down > > the road towards terrorism if it was opposed to independence is > > unbelievable. Obviously this statement will have to be examined > > closely by the authorities to see if making these claims is a > > criminal offence.' Police sources said they would look at Ramsay's > > statement in the light of the Terrorism Act 2000. > > > > Cunningham added: 'Given that everyone, including the hierarchy of > > the Catholic Church, has been very relaxed about the activities of > > the Orange Order, it is astonishing that this organisation can be so > > intolerant and threatening itself.' > > > > Ramsay also defended Orangemen who joined paramilitary organisations > > in Northern Ireland and Scotland in the early 1970s, at the height of > > the Troubles. 'In those days men were joining paramilitary > > organisations for the right reasons. The UDA (Ulster Defence > > Association), when it started, was required for defence purposes from > > attacks on Protestant people from the IRA. > > > > 'A number of young men empathised with that and joined loyalist > > organisations. They weren't taking to the streets to murder people > > then -- now it's very different. Back then we were sympathetic to the > > problems faced by the Protestant community in Ulster. Today, it's > > gone to hell.' > > > > He also revealed that at least one Scottish Orange Order member was a > > senior commander in a loyalist paramilitary organisation. 'He was > > encouraging young lads to join up, and then when they wanted out they > > were subjected to some pretty brutal treatment. It was then, in 1976, > > that we decided that we couldn't have any association or direct > > contact with paramilitaries.' > > > > Ramsay said Catholic claims of discrimination in Scotland were > > nonsense. 'The Labour Party is filled with Catholic MPs and MSPs, and > > we haven't had a Protestant Lord Provost in Glasgow for nearly 20 > > years, so how can we talk about discrimination?' > > > > In a bid to overhaul the disastrous public image of the Order, Ramsay > > has embarked on a three-part plan to convince the public that the > > organisation is not bigoted and violent. He has already consulted > > politicians including Donald Gorrie, who wants to see legislation > > outlawing sectarian abuse, and plans to talk to journalists about the > > reasons for the Order being constantly attacked in the press. > > > > His final stage will be the hiring of PR consultants . 'Every > > organisation has PR people now and we realise we need one as well,' > > he said. > > > > Peter Kearney, the Catholic Church in Scotland's official spokesman, > > said: 'Jack Ramsay's comments are utterly unbelievable. There is > > nothing to stop people defending their Britishness legally. Even the > > Boers in South Africa defend apartheid within legal boundaries. > > > > 'Orangemen are entitled to freedom of expression, but it often comes > > over as sectarian rhetoric and triumphalism to Roman Catholics and > > other Scottish people. It is this that demeans the organisation.' > > > > l The blight of bigotry and what we think: Seven Days > > > > FROM THE SUNDAY HERALD, 8 JULY 2001 > > > > |
