ROSE McAllister, 49-year-old mother of four from the Ardoyne, has just finished serving a two-year sentence in Armagh jail, the only women's prison in the North of Ireland. She has been touring Britain telling people of the appalling conditions the women prisoners are suffering in Armagh.
Rose was sentenced to prison in Diplock court-one the nas no mr ony a are wno passes sentence -for possession of an incendiary device Her application . LO nave er four-month-old son inside the jail with her was turned down bi Northern re ane. OTTICe grounds that it 'was not baby's interest mother. Her 19-year-old son to look after the baby and other two children; her husband, Terence McAllister, is imprisoned in Long Kesh.
Assault When Rose's children visited her in Armagh they were subjected to searches and forced to wait I01 anything up to three hours. treatment that Rose and her family. received uncle other women prisoners in Armagh have suffered in a similar fashion.
NOSC described conrerence The house Commons last. Thursday chaired by Ernie Roberts the assault on the February:
*All the screws came HICH and the women dressed in full riot gear-to do a "general raid" on the orders governor. Mr Scott just • 020 a general • rator Christmas so we were surprised at having another so soon.
the une in the had her The press in-37 ROSE McALLISTAIR an hour the next day I asked if I could use the toilet. I was told that and the washing room In Armagn nave been lockea up tol out to es daheir meals and boated out to eat up it tney ao not cal nem quickly " said one enough. prison that can be withdrawn if prisoners authorities don't conform.
No-one from The allowed into the continue the no wonder At first we threw "spees" to try forced upon authorities to draw their treatment. washed for five months.
no association, Ene I put my hand prison better and post-natal facilities, ti right rece ve than supporters of the Republican cause the women in Armagh do not. see themse ves as candleas not tried in a criminal courtes we are tried only being allowed courts.
status of Cullas, says nusc Cleanliness is seen by the privilege reporter membership oI Rose decided member, although she had wash' protest them attention have not in Armagh, is terronst me brush press demanding free like to make ordinary right …TO • WUlICL medical and wives. vole wowen.effects of a we are OS CUC IC THE the special Diplock We should be given the political prisoners, not Times asked Rose aDUL protest said she been in anniversary of She, like the rest of the women not the hardened the North August 1969. them. They mothers, - so ave of Ireland. ulcers and rashes from the dirt and diet. They free Ireland. That is not what you West will see printed in the pages of the Countevall stockade;
TROOPS OUT
The latest issue of Troops Out, paper of the Troops Out Move ment, has articles on Irish prisnors in Britain, British pro perganda, the Scottish Connection, and the SAS. Price 10p, it can be obtained from most of the left book shops of from TOM, Box TO, 2a St Paul's Road, London N1.
For senion TWIT Troops Out Movement is organising a mass delegation to Belfast on the weekend of 9/10 August.
One aim is to picket British at the continuing British presence in Ireland. The mass picket will mark the 11th British troops being sent on to the streets of of Ireland on The forts are concentrated in Catholic areas of the North magazineSoldier described one • as: "The Wild West the wriggly tin" fortress is surrounded by the 'indian country" of the notorious Ballymurphy estate with its fervent Republican sympathies.' Such a description is a tacit admission that the British Army, rather than defending' the population of the area it oc. cupies, or keeping the two sides apart', is nothing less than an army of occupation.
The TOM delegation will leave London on Friday night by train. It will depart from Euston station at 8.55 pm.
Further details can be ob. tained by writing to TOM at 2a St Pauls Road, London NI, or phoning the TOM offide on 01-267 2004.
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