Stop the Armagh strip searches

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"I was amazed at the res- fighting to make Ireland free ponse of the women in Belfast. too, they're also fighting rape, in. ON International Women's Day, 10-12 March, over 300 women from Ireland and Britain picketed Armagh women's prison to show their solidarity with Irish republican women prisoners and to protest against the conditions inside the prison.

Seven women went from Coventry. One of them, Kathy, spoke to Class Fighter about her experiences.

"I had supported a united Ireland, troops out and so on for ages and I felt I needed to see for myself what was actually going on in the North of Ireland and to show my support to the women who are struggling there.

FULLIUME All weekend I felt very conscious of how I was seen by the women. Did they see me as a day tripper? I felt that they didn't. They were supportive, glad to answer what must have seemed very naive questions. All that they were asking in return was that I listen to them and that I join in their fight in whichever way I could.

There was a lot of interest from Irish women about the issues feminists were organising around in Britain. One of the speakers talked about how the men's struggle in Ireland is very clear - they're fighting British troops and for a united Ireland.

For women, while they're violence in marriage, sexual abuse and discrimination. The women in Sinn Fein have won significant ground on these issues but they're still fighting. The strongest feeling I had all weekend was of solidarity between women.

Women spoke about the present governor of Armagh Gaol and his personal vendetta against the women. He has really taken up the strip searches as a method of breaking them.

I spoke to a woman who had served a 12 year sentence in Armagh who said that most women were juveniles, 16 or 17, when they are taken in.

The logic is that it's easier to break them at that age.

She was 17 when she went маній ...- diene When I left, I felt sad at leaving the friends I'd made, longing to go back again. I was aware that I'd never experienced anything like this weekend before. You always draw parallels to things you've experienced in the past, but with Belfast I couldn't do that.

was thinking about the constant police presence, the women blinded by "harmless" plastic bullets, the women's strength and shrewdness. I will talk to people here, raise issues and try to fight in whatever way I can to bring justice to Ireland and to the women of Ireland. This, at the least, is what I owe them for their warmth and understanding."

AWUKENO VI

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FOR THE WOMEN ARMACE