Bre's- Tacks Armagh Women

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protest by 360 prisoners in the notorious 'H' Blacks at the Long Kesh concentration According to Republican News, February 7 saw a squad of 40 male screws attack prisoners on B1 These prisoners have been refusing to wear prison clething or do prison work as part of their • This rampage was followed up by individual fight for the restoration of prisoner of war status- maltreatment of prisoners, all of whom are refusing which was stripped from them by the British to do prison work as part of their protest. Unlike their male comrades, republican women prisoners * The object of the deliberate move by British are (like all women in British jails) allowed to wear imperialism. was to force republican fighters to admit that they were in fact nothing other than their own, rather than prison clothing.

But their defiance of the repressive measures common criminals, whose military activities were meted out by their jailers has brought still further simply the actions of "mad gunmen". harassment, sexual threats and intimidation, and It took place alongside an intensified press the women are now reported to be confined in campaign designed to emphasise the "criminality" of the republic and socialist forces fighting to force Despite their specialised ill-treatment, the Tary the British troops out of Ireland. government and their reactionary Labour henchSo when the prisoners resisted this attack they men still insist that such prisoners are not political vere immediately subjected to the most barbaric prisoners, but common criminals. ill-treatment. Their refusal to wear prison clothing No such illusions are peddled by Lord Lowry; was met by them being left naked except for a Lord Chief Justice in the occupied six counties. He single blanket in unheated cells. has called upon judges in the no-jury Diplock frame-up courts that operate in Northern Ireland to step up the length of sentences handed out to Their refusal to do prison work was met by a "It almost certainly is" a fact that the general barrage of ill treatment and neglect that left cells run of sentences will have to become more severe, filthy; denied prisoners medical treatment, denied because there is no doubt the object of sentencing them recreation, visits and subjected them to repeated violence and intimidation. is a deterrent and punishment for something that is This ill treatment has been stepped up by the indeed the Irish liberation struggle is a "danger ories in the first tew months of 1980.. to society"-not only to the reactionary Orange saveral: blanket" prisoners. were subjected to a ¿January saw a sapte . of incidents in which - stability of imperialist exportation and captalist vicious campaign of beatings, humiliating 'agarches!, and wanton vandalism to their çells and -rale in the whole of freland, and to the security of bedding at the hands of prison screws: capitafist rule in Britain itself.

The successfut defeat. of Brifish imperialist But towards the end of the month this British offensive was carried over to a campaign" repression in Ireland would_be a major step vipjence and 'Îl-treatment of women republicans in forward against the vicious. Tory. exploiters at Thirty three women are currently 'on protest' In solidarity with the republican prisoners; in in Armegh Jail, refusing to accept "criminal joint struggle with Irish workers north and south;

and in the interests of the struggle for socialism in pren Prisoners-already confined to their Britain, trade unionists and socialists in Britain For 23 hours each day-have been beaten, must step up the struggle to force the immediate fuseg use of the toilet, and subjected to increas- withdrawal of British troops from Jreland; the restoration of political status for irish PoWs preparay tout and unhygenic conditions in a renewed tory to an amnesty; and for the right of the Irish mpt by male and female prison officers to people to determine thein own future.

La by Folrose Ltd for the Workers Socialist League, BM Box. 5277, London WV1V 6XX y Anvil Printers Ltd., London, camp.

wing and wreck cells.

Labour government in 1976.

filthy and urine-soaked cells.

NEGLECT republicans declaring that:

La danger to society.

Armegh Jail. home::

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ak their fighting spirit: