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Loyalists clash with police in North Belfast on Friday. Julien Behal/PA Wire/Press Association Images

McGuinness: People were 'wound up by those who should know better'

The Deputy First Minister has urged sensible, measured, positive and constructive solutions in Belfast.

THE DEPUTY FIRST Minister of Northern Ireland has called for a ‘sensible and measured’ approach to dealing with heightened tensions in Belfast this weekend.

Speaking to RTÉ Radio One’s This Week programme today, Martin McGuinness urged positive and constructive dialogue to bring the current violence to an end.

Over the past two nights, 39 PSNI officers were injured in riots in what has been described as “isolated serious disorder” in certain areas of the city. Water cannon and baton rounds were deployed to fend off attacks on police lines.

“I hope over the course of the next short while, all of this will peter out,” McGuinness said.

However, the Sinn Féin politician criticised leadership of the Orange Order for creating a scenario in which people were “wound up” by others “who should know better”.

He singled out Reverend Mervyn Gibson for playing a “negative role” in the build-up to 12 July celebrations. He described the criticism aimed at the Parades Commission’s determinations about marching season as a “huge mistake”.

Noting that he had “no difficulties” with Orange Order traditions, McGuinness said Belfast could learn from Derry which had had eight peaceful marching seasons because “people of the city can talk to each other”.

“I believe there should be consequences,” he added. “This cannot be allowed to continue.”

Read: Water cannon used against Belfast rioters as petrol bombs thrown at police

More: Gerry Adams wants to restrict the sale of alcohol in the Dáil bar

Today: Two teenage girls arrested in connection with death of Manchester firefighter

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    Mute Annette Temple
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    Aug 14th 2013, 1:26 PM

    What a sad day for Somalia.

    73
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    Mute eastpoint
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    Aug 14th 2013, 1:46 PM

    All western counties should withdraw from Africa – let them butcher themselves if they choose to – its not our problem

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    Mute Les Rock
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    Aug 14th 2013, 1:48 PM

    Model of compassion ain’t we?

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    Mute eastpoint
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    Aug 14th 2013, 2:00 PM

    Compassion for what? Self destruction? Macheting mobs hacking women and children to death in Rwanda, Islamists killing non believers in the name of Allah, rigged elections, corruption, vice, avarice…a failed continent in every sense. Africa has enough resources to help itself – if they choose not to that’s their call.

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    Mute Theresa Carter
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    Aug 14th 2013, 2:07 PM

    Sounds very like Ireland in the days of old.

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    Mute Declan Foley
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    Aug 14th 2013, 3:39 PM

    I think Western Countries should get more involved. They are to blame after the centuries of colonisation and unimaginable, barbaric rule. Nearly all of those countries were plundered and raped of their resources and slave labour for hundreds of years, only to be left abruptly with a power vacuum.

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    Mute Kate Murphy
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    Aug 14th 2013, 11:49 PM

    Exactly. The problems Africa has came after colonization.

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    Mute Rkmr
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    Aug 14th 2013, 2:07 PM

    This is so sad, ultimately it’s the ones most in need that will suffer the most, but how can you expect people to work with conditions like this. I really feel for these aid workers, it must be hard for them to leave knowing what will happen without them but at the same time the want to protect their own lives.
    These are real doctors, these are people who really care about the health and well being of others

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    Mute Sean Armstrong
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    Aug 14th 2013, 10:38 PM

    Real doctors?

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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Aug 14th 2013, 3:19 PM

    The poor people of Somalia will suffer endlessly now because of this. MSF are an amazing organisation,I respect them so much and know the conditions they work in can be horrendous. For them to leave,it must have been beyond comprehension.

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    Mute Stephen O'Donnell
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    Aug 14th 2013, 1:33 PM

    Terrible news.

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    Mute Eimear Prendergast
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    Aug 14th 2013, 5:48 PM

    What i don’t get is that msf are trying to help the people and the people are are killing ,abducting and harming them.If they want better for their country then they need some sense .Poor aid workers .

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    Mute fork u and ur repo
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    Aug 14th 2013, 2:04 PM

    No pun intended I presume, when u refer to them as ‘doctors without boarders’…

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    Mute brendan harlowe
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    Aug 14th 2013, 1:37 PM

    Could we not send UN peace keeping forces with them?

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    Mute Liam
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    Aug 14th 2013, 2:50 PM

    That idea didn’t work out too well in Srebrenica when Dutch U.N. peace keepers looked on as 8,000 innocent men and boys were slaughtered on the orders of General Mladic.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Aug 14th 2013, 5:20 PM

    Don’t blame the troops on the ground. Blame those that refused to allow them to take steps to stop it.

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    Mute Kate Murphy
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    Aug 14th 2013, 11:50 PM

    All my respect goes to people who work to save lives of strangers in dangerous circumstances.

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