A Chara, - Your edition of March 5th contained another attack by Danny Morrison on my integrity and on the contents of my book, Blanketmen: An Untold Story of the H-Block Hunger Strike.
He writes that in a meeting with Bik McFarland, our Officer Commanding, on Sunday July 5th, 1981, he told Bik about the Mountain Climber contact. He adds: "The offer was, of course, less than the men were demanding." So, there was an offer. Bik went on television on Monday, February 28th, 2005 to say that there was no offer. Both can't be right: either there was an offer or there wasn't.
I agree with Danny Morrison when he contradicts Bik's assertion that there was no offer. What was that offer? Was it the same offer that the Mountain Climber made when he returned to the negotiations table on July 19th? David Beresford, author of Ten Men Dead, had heard of the Mountain Climber from the Republican leadership. He says that the Mountain Climber sent the IRA leadership a lengthy statement on July 19th, which contained "little new other than a placatory tone". If it contained little new, then it stands to reason that it was the old offer revamped, the July 4th offer - which Bik says never existed.
Danny Morrison accuses me of being oblivious to the feelings of the families in publishing this book. This is from a man who met the families on July 28th, 1981, the Mountain Climber offer in his possession, and didn't think to tell the families about it in case they would accept it, and bring their loved ones off hunger strike. At least I had the decency to apologise to the families for not speaking up to end the hunger strike earlier. I have yet to hear Danny Morrison's apology for anything.
Why would I discuss this with Bik? Since the publication of this book he has vainly attempted to defend the indefensible - and it is Danny Morrison who has helped destroy his credibility.
Remember Watergate. All the president's men came unstuck there. - Is mise,
RICHARD O'RAWE,
Andersonstown,
Belfast.