Robinson And McGuinness Welcome Maze Development

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness have welcomed news that the peace centre planned for the former Maze prison site has been given the go-ahead.

First Minister Peter Robinson said: "The regeneration of the 350 acres at the Maze site represents one of the biggest development opportunities anywhere in Northern Ireland. Already the redevelopment of this site is helping to grow our local economy and stimulate job creation particularly initially in the construction industry.

"The construction of a new purpose-built Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Centre will help strengthen and consolidate our peace-building expertise and help us share our peace-building experience with others across the world."

The deputy First Minister said: "This is an important stage in delivering a world-class Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Centre at the Maze/Long Kesh site by 2015.

"The Maze/Long Kesh site has the potential for significant job creation and private sector investment, assessed at 5,000 jobs and £300m investment. The Peace building and Conflict Resolution Centre alone could support 70 additional jobs and generate approximately £1m per annum from visitor income and employment."

The development at the Maze has been in the pipeline for a number of years, with many unionists arguing that, unless all the original buildings are demolished, it could become a 'shrine' to republican prisoners.

In 1981, ten republican inmates, including Bobby Sands, starved themselves to death in protest at Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government's refusal to grant prisoners political status.

Ulster Unionist Leader Mike Nesbitt said the new centre will "place undue emphasis on prisoners rather than victims".

"With regard to a Conflict Transformation Centre, three questions need to be addressed," he said.

"Firstly, should we have one? Secondly, if so, what should be in it? Finally, where should it be located?

"As we have stated previously, the Ulster Unionist Party acknowledges the merit in a conflict transformation and resolution centre. We believe the story of the Troubles needs to be told but we are convinced that the site of the former Maze Prison is absolutely the wrong location.

"How can the families of the victims of the Troubles, plus the families of those who served in the RUC, UDR and Regular Army be expected to organise a family day out to see the site where terrorists were held? The Maze Prison is not a shared space. The Unionists community has no emotional capital invested in it and would shed no tears if all traces of the Prison were to be removed from the face of the earth."

But Sinn Féin's Raymond McCartney has welcomed the news.

The Foyle MLA said: "This is a decisive step forward for the transformation of the Long Kesh site. The site has already seen many thousands of visitors since it closed as a prison and the building of a Conflict Resolution Centre on the site will add to that appeal.

"Republicans obviously think of the many people who have been imprisoned there and of course the prisoners struggle for political status. Others, including those who worked there, also have their story to tell.

"The site has a unique history and one that will clearly appeal to a lot of visitors. The centre should become a venue for assisting in peace-building in other conflicts around the world and also a resource for those researching the Irish Peace Process."

(IT/H)