Abortion referendum in Ireland
THE Irish government has scheduled a referendum on abortion in the wake of the case of the fourteen year-old rape victim, who had been initially refused the right to travel to Britain for an abortion earlier this year. The referendum, which will take place on November 26, will cover three points and will most likely be phrased as follows:
sing of the hundreds who remain in the street, and a definitive solution to the housing problems of all those involved in the Vincennes camp.
The police raid on the camp has been met with indignation in the press and
November 23, 1992 • the Prime Minister, Hanna Suchocka, who was the author of an earlier version of the law. Their opponents within the politicoparliamentry establishment seem on the other hand to be paralyzed by the fear of seeing a new governmental crisis break out
POLAND / IRELAND / FRANCE
• It shall be unlawful to terminate the life of the unborn unless such termination is and even more by the possibility that this necessary to save the life, as distinct from the health, of the mother where there is a will lead to a renewal of mass mobilization
— non self-inflicted — illness or disorder of the mother giving rise to a real or subwhich, if successful, could rehabilitate col-
• There shall be no limit on freedom to travel to another state.
lective action in the eyes of the masses. It
• There shall be no limit to freedom to obtain or make available, subject to condiis therefore likely that in spite of the rejections laid down by law, information on services lawfully available in another member tion by the majority of the population, as seen in numerous public opinion polls, of
A broad campaign called the Alliance for Choice has been formed to produce any penalization of abortion, the law will publicity material and coordinate activities in relation to the referendum. It is campaibe adopted by the parliament.
gning vigorously for a "yes" vote on information and travel, and against the first point.
Most liberal and women's forces and bourgeois parties as well as Sinn Fein will call
Foreign pressure essential for a "no" vote for the first question. Only Fianna Fail, the government party, is calling for a "yes" vote on this question. The Catholic hierarchy has not taken a clear posi-
Only the pressure of foreign public opition, but individual priests are expected to use their pulpit for agitation around this nion - to which the neo-liberals who govern Poland are sensitive — can avoid a
In addition, the Repeal the 8th Amendment Campaign is continuing its calls for the sharp blow dealt to half of the Polish popurepeal of the 8th Amendment. This amendment states that "The State acknowledges lation and a big step forward towards the the right to life of the unborn child and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the establishment of a religious state. * mother, guarantees in its laws to respect and, as far as practicable, by its laws to
IV fund drive
Solidarity from other countries is very important. The Irish government is very sen-
OUR thanks go out to the following sitive to international public opinion and is quite concerned about the image it got readers for their response to the Interthrough the barbaric affair of the rape victim. Targets for solidarity pickets are Irish national Viewpoint fund drive: J.A embassies, consulates and airlines (Aer Lingus).
For further information, contact: Repeal the 8th Amendment, P.O. Box 3441
(GB), B.H. (SWE), A.S. (USA), R.W.
(USA), A.M. (USA), M.T. (GB), D.M. &
Dublin 8 (telephone: 1 746113) and The Women's Coalition, P.O. Box 3514 Dublin 1
B.F. (USA), T.V. (FRG), R.D. (USA),
IV supporters in Denmark have