HISTORICALLY there has always been a close link between the struggles of women in Britain for their rights, and the struggle of women in the Irish nationalist movement.
This link is summed up in the person of Constance Markiewitz.
leading nationalist and former suffragette, who became the first woman to be elected to the British Parliament. Like the other nationalists, she never took her seat, but underlines the point that the connection between women and the Irish struggle has taken both forward.
That connection is being reasserted inside the anisation today.
12-13 will the treatment meted out to Republican prisoners in Armagh jail.
barrier silence preventing woller understanding what going Ireland. But the effect on Trish lives is devastating.
The state aims its repression the Republican communities as part or Ils al elpis 10 break the spirit of those fighting British tion. And the women amone the first to sutter.
Since November 1982 every woman leaving and entering Armagh prison been specteno strip So the five have to appear in Armagh Court twice strip searched twice within the 30 minutes it takes for them to be escorted to the appear and return to prison.
Women trial
strip searched twice daily they have no contact with the public, and yet done on 'security this Is grounds'. Strip searching means: being violently undressed, always in front of warders (sometimes male warders), internal probings searching of sanitary towels.
Women arrested on the word of informers, and interrogated at Castlereagh, constally that threats of rape are a part of the interrogation procedure - one woman has actually been awarded an out of court settlement for technical loss of virginity while under interrogation.
Irish women have
claim on the sisterhood support of British feminists, as this violence is perpetrated in our name •.. and all unese repressive methods will one day be useu against reminists l (just look at Greenham).
At the picket of Armagh Women's Day, prisoners told that searches decreased at the height of the pressure and publicity about crensed again are but increased again soon as the campaign lost This National yeas conference has seven resolutions condemning the strip magh jail They must be adopted Fighting against what is happening women in the North of Ireland vital to ensure these methods never against women here.