An ex-republican prisoner who claims the IRA leadership rejected a deal which could have saved the lives of six hunger-strikers is suing for libel following remarks by former Sinn Féin publicity director, Danny Morrison.
Richard O'Rawe from west Belfast, who was the prisoners' public relations' officer in the H-Blocks in the summer of 1981, is suing RTE over what he alleges are defamatory comments it carried by Morrison about him.
The case against RTE is due to open in Belfast High Court in September. It is believed O'Rawe may also sue Daily Ireland over similar remarks Morrison made there. Morrison could not be contacted for comment.
O'Rawe has caused controversy with his claims. He says that on July 5 1981, after the first four prisoners had died, Danny Morrison visited the officer commanding IRA prisoners in the H-Blocks, Bik McFarlane, to brief him on a British offer of a deal.
McFarlane then passed a 'comm' (communication) to O'Rawe's cell detailing the offer, O'Rawe says. He claims he told McFarlane, 'There's enough there' and McFarlane said, 'I agree with you, I will write to the outside and let them know'.
However, the IRA leadership outside the jail rejected the offer, O'Rawe says. Six more hunger-strikers died. At the time of the alleged deal, Owen Carron of Sinn Féin was contesting the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Westminster seat vacated by Bobby Sand's death.
O'Rawe asks if the leadership sacrificed the six men to fuel electoral support for Sinn Féin. Prior to the hunger-strike, the party "barely existed", he says.
O'Rawe's claims were outlined in his book, An Untold Story of the H-Block Hunger Strike. They have been rejected by several republicans including Morrison and McFarlane.
McFarlane said there was "no concrete proposals whatsoever in relation to a deal". He described O'Rawe's account of their conversation as "totally fictitious", adding "that conversation didn't happen. I did not write to the Army Council and tell them we were accepting (a deal). I couldn't have accepted something that didn't exist."
McFarlane said it was the prisoners who took decisions regarding their fate. However, Denis Bradley, former deputy chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, has said he believes the British government had offered a deal to the hunger-strikers after three or four of them had died.
He said the deal was similar to the one eventually accepted. O'Rawe has said he has faced ostracisation in his community since he wrote the book. Graffiti calling him a "H-Block traitor" was recently erected near his home. He said he supports the peace process but that it's important "to tell the truth".
