After The Referendum

That in _ itself achievement.

With the referendum behind us the fight for women’s rights must go on. What happens next is the big question for many ‘NO’ voters and activists. In answering this question we should be under no _ illusion that the right-wing intends to mount an attack on all the gains of the women’s movement over the past 10 years. The referendum witnessed the mobilisation of all the forces on the right of Irish society, and the re-emergence of the Catholic Church as a direct political force curtailing social and democratic rights.

As we have seen through out the history of the 26 Counties’ state, in times of economic crisis like in the 30s and S0s he Church has fought to naintain clerical power over society and preached despair and defeat. The net effect of its influence is demoralisatNell McCafferty went to the 6 Counties’ to hear the ‘supergrass’ Raymond Gilmour testify in the ‘no-jury’ court. SR asked her about it.

sr: What was the atmosphere in the courthouse at the trial?

W@That of a police state rather than any normal legal system. The police ran the show and sorted out conflicts in their evidence between themselves. The judge gave absolutely no direction.

SR: What of Gilmour?

@He exhibited no signs of human emotion and , responded as if he had been programmed. A general feeling among . journalists, lawyers, the public and the prisoners was that the police controlled every word.

Be SR: And the relatives?

MReallv distressed and Win, lose or draw on September 7, the size of the ‘NO’ vote cannot be ignored. Despite all the confusion spread by politicians and the media, the hysteria whipped-up by the so-called ‘Pro-life’ brigade, the intimidation from the pulpits - tens of thousands of Irish people voted for democratic rights and against reaction.

is a tremendous Tion of working people, whose traditional leadership has refused to challenge the role of the Church in the state.

The politicians that have held power over the past 60 years have been happy to see the Church play this role, for it serves to divert attention fromthe failure of their capitalist policies to meet the needs of the overwhelming majority of the Irish pecple. That is the reason that all the big parties were so quick to give support to the PLAC at the outset.

DEFENCE KEY ISSUE We cannot predict just where the right will strike next - whether to harass women taking the boat to England or against the family planning clinics. But we have to take steps now to meet the attack whereever it comes. So the showing deep shock at one of their own turning informer.

SR: Do you think this will lead to any backlash in the communities, especially against clerics who have called on people to inform?

MINo. People distinguish quite clearly between the pastoral and political function of priests. Respect and affection for Catholic Church have if anything increased since it has remained the one unchanging institution in 15 years of division and change. However, people accept or reject clerical pronouncements according to their own politics. There’s a feeling that ‘the priests are on our side but they have to be diplomatic.’

SK: What effect has the kidnapping of the father had?

HA whole series of reactions. First, amusement and the feeling first thing that needs to be done is for the Anti-Amendment Campaign to organise a conference for activists and open to ‘NO’ voters to lay plans for a defence campaign.

In meeting the attacks of the right wing we must reject any narrow approach which seeks to veto who can or can’t participate. That would be to misread the result of the referendum, to see it as the end rather than the beginning of the debate. Above all else the campaign has exploded the issue of women’s rights and that of the separation of church and state. More and more people want to hear the arguments involved. We have to go out there and convince them.

INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL That’s why the proposal for an international tribunal to investigate the crimes against Irish women in regards control of their fertility deserves to be supported This initiative would allow us to build links with the broad internatthat this was just an excuse to let Gilmore retract. Then astonishment when he didn’t. Astonishment turned to indifference and that is now replaced by an acknowledgement that kidional women’s movement which has had to face these sort of attacks in many countries. Such a_ tribunal than an informer, because people associate informers with criminal activity and don’t see the IRA as criminals.

SR: Are the trials seen as a setback for the IRA military campaign?

WNo,their effect _ offset by the series of political victories for Sinn Fein. There is a clear sense of the perPoster issued by the Anti-Amendment Campaign.

would also be an ideal forum to open up the debate on the right to choose by drawing out the links between the sonal tragedy of those jailed by Gilmore’s evidence.

SR: Do these trials show up the sectarian nature of the 6 Counties’ state?

WI don’t think so. We must remember that there are a number of supergrasses on the loyalist side also. right to contraception and the right to abortion.

SR: Do you believe that there is the possibility of building up community action through an anti-informer campaign?

MI don’t really believe so. There didn’t seem to be that sort of feeling among the relatives or in the community as a whole.

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supergrasses We Interview Nell Mc Cafferty