Orange Order exposed

In a week that the Orange Order cosied up to the paramilitaries of the UDA and UVF to launch the ludicrously titled Love Ulster campaign, nationalist children have been the primary targets of the other side of unionist campaigning — indiscriminate, paramilitary terror.

This week witnessed the second arson attack on Catholic schools in Ballymena, part of the litany of attacks over the summer in North Antrim — a summer represented by PSNI inaction, unionist silence and the indifference of establishment politicians in the 26 Counties.

The latest Orange Order alliance with unionist paramilitaries in the Love Ulster campaign very publicly ends the pretence of the Orange Order being a 'cultural' organisation. The head of the Order Robert Saulters posed with leading UDA and UVF figures in Larne as they jointly launched the campaign.

Saulters has no problems 'campaigning' with those orchestrating a reign of terror against the nationalist community in North Antrim and Belfast. He also has no problem endorsing the publication of a newspaper with such people at a time when the UDA is threatening newsagents for stocking the Sunday World. We must presume that unionist politicians who endorse the campaign also have no problems with its paramilitary backers.

Meanwhile nationalists in vulnerable areas of the North have expressed their frustration with the indifference and inaction of the PSNI to their situation. They are also angry at the silence of southern politicians in the face of the unionist terror campaign.

It is time that the political ostriches in Fianna Fáil, the PDs, Fine Gael and Labour pulled their heads out of the sand, came out and unequivocally stated their solidarity with nationalist victims and tell us all what they will do to stop these attacks against defenceless Irish citizens.