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First minister Peter Robinson stalls Maze peace centre | First minister Peter Robinson stalls Maze peace centre |
(about 9 hours later) | |
First Minister Peter Robinson has said it would be wrong to proceed with the Maze peace centre in the absence of a consensus about how it will operate. | |
In a letter to DUP MPs and MLAs, Mr Robinson said there must be a change of attitude by Sinn Féin, especially towards victims of the IRA. | In a letter to DUP MPs and MLAs, Mr Robinson said there must be a change of attitude by Sinn Féin, especially towards victims of the IRA. |
The Maze housed paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from 1971 to 2000. | |
The peace centre was part of a £300m site redevelopment, but the DUP had been criticised for supporting it. | |
The party has come under growing pressure from other unionist parties, some IRA victims groups and the Orange Order. | |
In his letter, Mr Robinson rounded on his political critics accusing them of shifting position on the Maze and arguing that the economic development of the site was vital. | In his letter, Mr Robinson rounded on his political critics accusing them of shifting position on the Maze and arguing that the economic development of the site was vital. |
But, crucially, he also blamed Sinn Féin for undermining community relations by what he called their insensitive attitude towards IRA victims. | But, crucially, he also blamed Sinn Féin for undermining community relations by what he called their insensitive attitude towards IRA victims. |
Mr Robinson ruled out any public use of the retained buildings - the one existing H block, where paramilitaries were held - and the hospital where Bobby Sands and other republican hunger strikers died. | |
He also said the prospects for building any peace centre at the site near Lisburn must be linked to building a far wider consensus, not just support from within the DUP. | |
Sinn Féin's Raymond McCartney accused Mr Robinson of "weak political leadership". | |
"He pens a letter telling how he is standing up to the TUV and UUP, yet what he is actually doing is following the agenda they have set for him," he said. | |
"He talks about building a consensus at the same time as he talks up a veto. It is a nonsensical position." | |
Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Alllister said the DUP had made a "monumental climb-down". | |
"Despite all the diversionary talk from Peter Robinson about the changing stance of others, his Maze u-turn is seismic, but none the less welcome for that," he said. | |
"The logic of Mr Robinson's analysis of how Sinn Fein is still wedded to justifying terror, leads to the obvious question of why he still sustains them in government?" | |
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt welcomed the DUP's "U-turn" over the centre. | |
"I welcome the fact Peter Robinson has finally seen sense," he said. | |
"This is a victory for innocent victims, who made their voices heard and it was an honour for the Ulster Unionist Party to represent their views." | |
'Controversial' | 'Controversial' |
Architects have been employed and European funding is in place, however, the peace centre could yet fall foul of a political logjam. | |
Over the years, the scheme to redevelop the former prison site has been controversial. | |
Ten men died on hunger strike in the Maze in 1981, as part of a campaign by republicans to secure political prisoner status. The jail closed in 2000. | |
The prison hospital, where many of the hunger strikers died, was among parts of the jail that were retained when the site was cleared for redevelopment. | The prison hospital, where many of the hunger strikers died, was among parts of the jail that were retained when the site was cleared for redevelopment. |
A watch tower and one H Block were also retained and planning permission for the new peace centre, close to the retained structures, was granted in April. | |
It has been designed by the Polish American architect Daniel Libeskind, renowned for his role on the site of New York's Ground Zero. | It has been designed by the Polish American architect Daniel Libeskind, renowned for his role on the site of New York's Ground Zero. |
DUP leader Mr Robinson had previously rejected claims that the centre would become a shrine to terrorism, while Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said it would be a "shrine to peace". | DUP leader Mr Robinson had previously rejected claims that the centre would become a shrine to terrorism, while Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said it would be a "shrine to peace". |