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Maze breakout film under fire
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Victims groups and unionists have hit out at the makers of a BBC documentary on the Maze prison breakout claiming it could have serious ramifications concerning the devolution of Policing and Justice powers.
Some senior political figures criticised the programme describing it as nothing more than a “platform” for republicans to “boast of their deeds” and accused the BBC of “poor editorial and commissioning judgement”.
However the BBC have defended the programme saying it was a “fair and impartial” account of what took place on that day.
“The aim of this documentary was to provide a detailed account of the Maze escape,”a BBC spokeswoman said. “It was based on contributions from some of those who were involved and included a prison officer's perspective.
UUP leader Sir Reg Empey claimed Sinn Fein Junior Minister Gerry Kelly, one of the 38 escapees, did not show any “remorse” during the programme and said the documentary could have a serious “knock-on” effect politically.
In September 1983, 38 prisoners broke out of the infamous Maze in the biggest prison escape in British penal history.
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If unionsist think the programme glorified terrorism, then they must have thought their actions were glorious because it simply told the story of what happened. (including the perspective of a prison guard who was there, the first time in 25 years a prison guard's story has been told).
Strange that a unionist politian would think the IRA's actions were glorious. Wonders will never cease. Incidentally, the 2 taxi drivers I spoke to about it, thought it was superb.
Posted by Baz | 24.09.08, 20:37 GMT
Why the Unionist outcry.They put them in government. Just their usual waffle.Remember the grand oul duke of York. More of the same.
Posted by UNIONCRUISER | 24.09.08, 20:21 GMT
I was in Ireland during the Maze breakout. Every town and village in the Republic had armed army patrols and were stopping cars incluiding mine (in West Meath) and taking a gander at myself and my passengers. Apart from myself (living in New York at the time) no one in the car looked suspicious and we were waved away. The patrol never opened the boot of the car where, hypothetically, we could have housed six of the Maze runaways. So, I would be very interested in watching this BBC production. By now, it should be harmless but interesting to any of its audience.
Posted by Jim Guinnessey | 24.09.08, 19:28 GMT
The show, showed the facts of what happen... Just because it showed that long kesh wasnt the most secure prison, and made a fool out of the british goverment/security?
The unionist always have something to argue about and aint satisfied with anything these days, as a nationalist, bring back paisley... slan..
Posted by Ciarán | 24.09.08, 17:04 GMT
Paul when hunger comes out it wil makes unionists think what a waste of life to achieve what? british rule is stil on this island so what achivement has the IRA and the hunger strickers really achieved?
Posted by Andrew | 24.09.08, 15:56 GMT
The programme is fair and balanced in my view, the volunteers are hero’s to nationalists.
I suppose the unionists will complain again next month when hunger is released telling the story of Bobby Sands. The reality is they simply can't face the fact that the IRA had a cause and it was their bigotry that gave rise to that cause.
Posted by Paul | 24.09.08, 15:38 GMT
Paul, I think you will find that Gerry Kelly is not an elected MP.
Posted by Andrew | 24.09.08, 13:35 GMT
Why would anyone be proud to be part of a vicious sectarian death squad which fought and lost a squalid, divisive hate filled campaign for a 32 county socialist republic? They killed, died and suffered for an unachievable and frankly stupid goal. The only thing they succeeded in doing was to divide the people they claimed to want to unite.
Posted by Peter | 24.09.08, 12:05 GMT
Many people would agrue that Gerry should be proud of his past, hence him being a elected MP in his local area.
Posted by paul | 24.09.08, 10:30 GMT
It made me proud to be northern irish that we would broadcast one of our politicians as he boasts of breaking out of jail, referring to soldiers as 'brits' and lying low in an IRA arms dump, (which i assume, when he 'turned from the struggle', he gave up its location to the police.) And talking absolutly care free about someone in his group stabbing and murdering a prison gaurd. The ultimate embarrasment came at the end, when it reminded everyone that we let all our prisoners out early, murderers and all. Americas government dont negotiate with terrorists and our government are terrorists...How do these trans-atlantic affairs work??? What a country.
Posted by andy | 24.09.08, 10:06 GMT