Maze Aviation Event Cancelled

The Ulster Aviation Society said it is "greatly disappointed" that it had to cancel an 'Open Days' event at the Maze, because of a failure to agree permission at Stormont.

The former Maze prison site is a bone of contention between unionists and nationalists in government, due to its having housed loyalist and republican prisoners during the Troubles. In 1981, ten republican prisoners including Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes and Raymond McCreesh died on hunger strike in protest at Margaret Thatcher's government's refusal to grant the inmates political status.

Last year, £18m in EU funding was withdrawn for a planned 'peace centre' at the former prison after failure to reach agreement at Stormont.

Following this latest revelation, Ulster Aviation Society Chairman Ray Burrows said: "The whole UAS Committee are devastated and at a loss to understand why permission has been withheld this year, considering this year’s event was being planned on the back of very successful Open Day events held over previous years. Planning for this year’s event started in October ’13 and, it would be true to say, it was shaping up to be our biggest and best yet. We held off taking this decision as long as possible, but there obviously comes a time when it is impossible to continue; sadly, we have reached that point in time.

"We very much hope that the public and all those who had arranged to participate, especially the other charities involved, will appreciate the Society’s position and we look forward to their continued and valued support in the future."

"Society membership is continuing to grow as is our aviation collection and we will continue to give the public and schools a unique visitor experience. We shall also continue to work with everyone involved to ensure the continued success not only of the UAS but also of the Maze/Long Kesh site."

Alliance Lagan Valley MLA Trevor Lunn said: "It is ridiculous that this event has been cancelled as a result of a spat between Sinn Fein and the DUP. There is a severe lack of leadership coming from these two parties. OFMDFM has a massive problem of inaction on many issues and this is just the latest example.

"This event has nothing to do with politics, and just like the Balmoral show which also takes place at the Maze site, it should have been approved by Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness.

"The claim by Sinn Fein that they have blocked this event as a result of the DUP’s veto of the Conflict Resolution Centre is not a valid excuse. It is just an example of petty politics. We can only hope that even at this late stage, common sense might prevail and allow this event to take place."

(IT/MH)