IRSCNA: On the Right to Choose -- Stormont Watch

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Date Posted: Fri, Dec 17 2010, 6:15:08 PST
Author: Danielle Ni Dhighe
Subject: IRSCNA: On the Right to Choose

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17 December 2010
Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America

On the Right to Choose

On behalf of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement, the Irish
Republican Socialist Committees of North America reaffirm our
Movement's support for a woman's right to choose abortion.

Two Irish women and a Lithuanian woman resident in Ireland, who were
forced by the current anti-choice law in the 26 Counties to travel to
Britain for abortions, brought a case before the European Court of
Human Rights on the basis of their human rights being violated.

The court ruled yesterday that for two of the women there was no
violation of their rights and that the 26 Counties has the right to
restrict abortion, while they ruled the rights of the third woman were
violated because 26 Counties law does allow abortion if the mother's
life is endangered and yet she was prevented from receiving the
procedure in the 26 Counties. We disagree with the overall ruling,
which leaves the current law in place.

The Irish Republican Socialist Party was one of the first political
parties in Ireland to support the right to choose abortion after a
pro-choice motion was passed at its first Ard Fheis (party conference
or convention) in 1975. Over the years, subsequent Ard Fheiseanna
have reaffirmed that support, including the 2002 Ard Fheis where a
motion was passed that stated "we support reproductive rights and
unhindered access to contraception, including a woman's right to
choose abortion."

Although we support the demand for the greater strengthening of Irish
independence, we recognize that these women were forced to take their
case to the European Court of Human Rights because the legal system
of the 26 Counties has created a situation where adult, mentally
competent women are prevented from making choices about their own
bodies and medical procedures performed upon them.

The government of the 26 Counties argued that it has a sovereign right
to "protect the life of the unborn." Where was this supposed concern
for life when they allowed the United States to use Shannon Airport as
a launching ground for bloody, imperialist wars of occupation in
Afghanistan and Iraq? How many people have been killed in those wars?
To say that a fetus has rights when the woman carrying it doesn't or
victims of imperial slaughter don't is an absurdity.

In conclusion, we once again reaffirm the IRSM's support for a
woman's right to choose abortion, and believe that the archaic laws
in both the 26 Counties and the 6 Counties must be changed. Our
vision for a 32 County Socialist Republic is one of full equality for
women, including the right to make choices about their own bodies and
medical procedures performed upon them.

###

Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America
PO Box 5174
Champaign IL 61825
USA
irscna@irsm.org
http://www.irscna.org/
http://www.irsp.ie/irscna.html

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