Greenham Common | Women Lead Fightback Against Warmongers

ment is the largest international movement os any the second world war. The polarisation that has develern Europe especially , is also even greater than that on the Vietnam war Together with austerity, the issue of the Pershing II and Cruise Missiles will dominate the political situation in Western Europe in 1983. This combination has the potential to create real political turmoil in Westert European countries.

Women have been to the forefront in the mass mobilisation around Europe. Tens of thousands of women, young and old have marched against the ‘War Drive’ and the threat of nuclear weapons, and inside the international womens movement a current has developed which sees this issue as an important political fight for feminists. Conterences, marches, rallies and sit-ins have all been organised by anti-nuclear women. The strategy for the anti-nuclear movement has been hotly debated by women in their thousands. CND in both Ireland and Britain have womens sections built on the best traditions of feminism, of self organisation and mass action. The most notorious or of the media. Through its coverage the issue was brought into millions of homes.

At first the bourgeois press tried to present the womens camp as a ‘crank adventure’ and not something to be taken seriously That is until the women refused to move or be intimidated by the repressive forces of the state, the police and the army. Not only did women stand their ground, but they deepened their struggle by challenging repression through the courts and at the same time continuing mass political action on Greenham Common and at other British army bases.

Now it had become a serious political protest. Margaret Thatcher and Michael Heseltine had to sit up and take note. Heseltine even led a major propaganda offensive against CND in the lead up to the British elections. This involved wheeling out Lady, Olga Maitland and her so-called ‘Women for Peace’. But this arch-Tory and ruling class advocate failed to deter the womens movement from further protest. Outside the main gates, 15 February 1983 The response of CND opened up further debates for women activists. The campaign as a whole decided not to support any party in the election, while the womens section favoure ed women candidates.

Eventually leading campaigner Helen John called for support for the Labour Party in support of its anti-nuclear policies.

On 2 fronts the international womens movement is leading a fightback through mass action. In defence of abortion rights and against nuclear missiles, women have encountered forces of the state and Ireland:

Elsewhere:

challenged the labour movement to take a stand.

In Ireland today the launching of a campaign against the amendment has led Irish feminists to faée similar experiences.

Both struggles must be built not solely on direct or mass action. A strategy of T2 issues £4.50p I2 issues £6.500p NAM. cccceceseecseseoreovesese AdGreSSccceecrecsesseesseieos COUMTTYcccecccesscescssevere sSSEHESESSBESSSaSsEszESSi pt. mts She Bae ae ene Los mobilising the social and political weight of the working class against the disastrous nuclear schemas of the capitalists is essential for victory and for socialism SUPPORT THE CND HUMAN CHAIN JULY 16th - DUBLIN

"Jobs for all", was the theme of the demonstrate for

----- pull-quotes -----

oped in response to this Tabour ncnmmionicin West-