Orange Order Oppose Proposed Centre At The Maze Prison

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has welcomed the decision by the Orange Order to oppose the proposed Conflict Transformation Centre at the Maze Prison.

Mr Elliott said: "The Ulster Unionist Party warmly welcomes this decision by the Orange Order.

"In calling upon 'all our Unionist elected representatives, even at this late stage, not to proceed with this flawed and fundamentally ill-conceived project' the Order is clearly responding to the growing concern within the wider community regarding locating the proposed Conflict Transformation Centre at the Maze.

"There is an obvious momentum building with regard to this issue. In the past week the Ulster Unionist Party Executive, the RUC George Cross Association and now the Orange Order have all voiced their opposition to the Maze as the location for a Conflict Transformation Centre.

"The Ulster Unionist Party is convinced that to build such a centre at the most divisive site in Northern Ireland is in no-one’s interests, especially victims.

"We believe that the retention of some former prison buildings, including the Hospital, holds no attraction for the vast majority of our citizens, but guarantees the creation of a shrine to Republican terror, and in particular the hunger-strikers.

"It will compound the hurt of victims, place an undue emphasis on the former inmates of the Maze Prison, and is absolutely the wrong place to tell the story of the 3,500 people who lost their lives in the Troubles.

"The decision by the Orange Order to join the campaign to oppose the siting of the Conflict Centre at the Maze is most welcome."

(CD/MH)