Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“In an increasingly desperate and farcical attempt to defend the DUP/Sinn Fein plans for the Maze site Jeffery Donaldson is being economical with the truth. He told us on BBC interviews both last night and this morning that there will be nothing in the new peace centre which will glorify terrorism.
“What he did not tell us is what is happening with the prison buildings. He has deliberately dogged this issue. Why?
“Former IRA prison leader, Raymond McCartney’s boast still stands, “The listed and retained buildings…will be open to the public. There will be the opportunity for the many stories of the gaol to be told.” (see http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/22471). Only a fool would not recognise that such is Provo speak for the glorification of their terrorists.
“I have never accused the DUP of helping to build a shrine to terrorism. The issue is that it is already there in the shape of the retained prison buildings!
“This is a point which Mr Donaldson’s party is on record as recognising in the past.
“Nigel Dodds noted: “However it is dressed up, whatever spin is deployed,the preservation of a section of the H-Blocks – including the hospital wing – would become a shrine to the terrorists who committed suicide in the Maze in the 1980s. That would be obnoxious to the vast majority of people and is something unionist people cannot accept” (seehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6229886.stm).
“Similarly, Sammy Wilson warned the Commons of “the provision of a shrine to hunger strikers at the Maze—something that is already happening, promoted by Sinn Fein” (seehttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070725/debtext/70725-0001.htm).
“In May 2008 an unnamed DUP source explained the party’s position on the Maze stadium by saying: “It will be a popular move within the party, the majority of whom hate the idea of building a national stadium anywhere near a shrine to terrorists” (seehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/02/northernireland.northernirelandfootballteam).
“Nelson McCausland told the Assembly in November 2008 that Sinn Fein “already regard the H-blocks as a Republican shrine” (seehttp://archive.niassembly.gov.uk/record/reports2008/081103.htm#7).
“The so-called “Peace Center” may not be in the retained buildings but the point is that it is built in close proximity to them – buildings which will inevitably become a shrine to terrorism and (as I exposed last month) is already drawing terror tourists, facilitated by OFMdFM (seehttp://tuv.org.uk/press-releases/view/1812/maze-already-drawing-terror-tourists).
“And lest there be any doubt about Sinn Fein/IRA’s view of the Maze, people should consider the fact that this Saturday convicted bomber Gerry Kelly, Brendan McFarlane (who was sentenced to life imprisonment for a gun and bomb attack on a bar in the Shankill Road area which killed five people (three men and two women) and injured sixty others) and notorious terrorist Bobby Storey are guest speakers at “The Greatest Escape” – 30th Anniversary Commemorative Talk” to be held tomorrow in Andersonstown.”
See advert for Andersonstown event herehttp://tuv.org.uk/files/Great%20Escape.jpg
