Allister challenges First Ministers on Maze
01 April 2009
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister MEP
"I have a very simple challenge for the Joint First Ministers on their visit to Brussels, to come clean on precisely what support they are seeking for the Maze Shrine. The Task Force Report promoted the ‘Conflict Transformation Centre’- official speak for the shrine –but the draft Executive response was deliberately obtuse and avoiding of the issue.
It is my belief that as part of the secret DUP/SF deal of last November the DUP consented to proceed with the Maze Shrine project. The people of Northern Ireland are entitled to honesty and transparency on this issue.
I would regard a so-called ‘Conflict Transformation Centre’ at the Maze as wholly unacceptable, because, inevitably, Republicans – who love to wallow in self-pity – would perform their own transformation upon it and deliver the shrine to IRA terrorism which is Sinn Fein’s goal and for which purpose the ugly Maze buildings have been retained, courtesy of DUP DOE Minister’s refusal to de-list and demolish them.
To waste scare EU resources on such a project would be a disgrace. Ever since Ian Paisley agreed to the inclusion of the ‘Conflict Transformation Centre’ in the Task Force report, this is the foolhardy direction in which they have been headed."
