BBC Radio Foyle
Breakfast
Monday 19 August 2013
Programme Host Enda McClafferty (EM) interviews former IRA Volunteer Thomas “Dixie” Elliott (DE) of Doire about the controversial Peace and Reconciliation Centre that was proposed for the former Long Kesh prison site.
(begins 1:49)
Enda McClafferty (EM): The controversy over The Maze and The Peace Centre there rumbles on this morning when a former cellmate of Bobby Sands has accused Sinn Féin of using the hunger strikers to promote their own political agenda.
Dixie Elliott from Doire says the controversy over the Maze peace centre is part of a political game and not about remembering those who died.
Well he told me why he's opposed to the Peace and Reconciliation Centre at the former prison site.
Thomas “Dixie” Elliott (DE): My opinion is that Sinn Féin needs the Peace and Reconciliation Centre located at the site of the former H-Blocks because they need to continue with the claim that what is happening today in regards to the peace process is the legacy of the struggle.
And that ten men gave their lives for what is happening today - which is absurd! Like, no one would have died for peace.
In actual fact these men were imprisoned at Long Kesh because they were captured during what we seen as a war to remove the British from The North.
EM: But Sinn Féin would say of course that this was a crucial moment in history for Northern Ireland and it should be remembered and it should be there to be reflected upon by people who come to Northern Ireland and who visit that particular site.
DE: By all means remember but don't abuse it for their peace process.
By all means remember the sacrifices of the hunger strikers and other people who gave their lives but don't be abusing it for the so-called peace process - which I believe's a farce.
EM: So do you think then there should be a centre there? That there should be some sort of place that people can go and hear about what happened?
DE: See when you're talking about “go and hear what happened”...you see when I hear of “peace and reconciliation” I think of funding and jobs for the boys.
And this is what this is going to be...just another place so they can employ their own members.
EM: You're clearly opposed to Sinn Féin's project if you like, the policy that they're embarked on at the moment. Does that mean then that you're in the dissident camp?
DE: No. I'm in no camp. I'm an independent Republican who has my own opinions.
I don't believe that armed struggle will take us anywhere now. I don't believe it all. But would I condemn dissidents? No. I wouldn't be a hypocrite by condemning them.
But I would try and persuade them that the way forward is through peaceful means.
EM: You were a former cellmate of Bobby Sands as you were there whenever the hunger strikes happened. What do you think those people would have made of what's happening now...the people who died on hunger strike?
DE: See I can't speak for the dead because as I said, they're dead.
But what I can say is no one would have died for a peace process.
You don't die for peace. You die during a war. You die in order to bring about change. You don't die for peace.
But I'm sure if they had've known, which the British seem to know in 1981, that members of the Republican Movement were intent on steering the movement away from the struggle, the campaign, that they wouldn't have died.
I wouldn't have thrown stones for it if I had've known.
EM: So what's your message then to Sinn Féin who feel that this project is worth pursuing, worth pushing ahead with, because they feel it's crucial that the story of the hunger strikers has to be told on that site?
DE: I would say to Sinn Féin that the hunger strikers didn't die for a peace process.
And if they believe in a peace process well...well be it. But they shouldn't try and re-write history.
Bobby Sands and the nine other men who died died because they wanted to undo what Thatcher was doing and that was criminalising the struggle. And the struggle was all about waging war against the British.
And they can't re-write history to suit their own narrative.
EM: And what would you say to those Unionists out there who would see it as a step too far that there would be anything retained on the site of the prison site because it will become a shrine to terrorism?
DE: Well I think in terms of the Unionist politicians that everything's a step too far unless it's a step in their direction.
EM: That was Dixie Elliott there.
Well we have been in touch with Sinn Féin about what Mr. Elliott had to say but as yet we haven't heard back from the party.
(ends 1:54)
