COUNCILLOR Andrew Ewing (Letters, July 25) displayed the traits of someone who, when incapable of ‘playing the ball’, reverts to trying to ‘take out the man instead’.
Whether I ever stood for the Ulster Unionist Party as a candidate at election is irrelevant to this debate.
He is politicising the most emotive of victims’ centred issues as justification for his own position.
South East Fermanagh Foundation prides itself upon having membership and support from people of all shades of political opinion and none.
Those of us who work and volunteer for the organisation place the needs of victims above and beyond all else and we represent those victims in holding to account those in authority, irrespective of what political party or otherwise that they belong to.
If Cllr Ewing wants to get into a debate about who presided over the decision to list the hospital wing at the Maze - to which he suggests responsibility falling on the UUP - then I suggest that he engages directly with the leader of that party.
I would say to Cllr Ewing: there are hundreds upon hundreds of buildings across Northern Ireland which are listed.
To my knowledge very few are to be used as shrines to terrorism.
Cllr Ewing plays the old economics argument - it’s about jobs and the generation of millions of pounds for our economy.
No fair-minded person across Northern Ireland (me included) is opposed to the regeneration of the former Maze site which would contribute towards the rebuilding of our economy.
However, let’s be clear, that is an erroneous argument being used to escape responsibility for appeasing the republican movement.
I have no need to justify my personal record in supporting the innocent victims of terrorism.
My letter was sanctioned by South East Fermanagh Foundation, as is this response.
I invite Cllr Ewing to come and meet our management board and explain his views to a group of people who represent all strands of unionism and none.
Kenny Donaldson
(Director of Services)
SEFF
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