DURING THE PERIOD 1989-1992 NINE SINN FEIN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND

CAMPAIGN WORKERS WERE SLAIN. SINCE 1992 FIVE MORE CAMPAIGN

WORKERS HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND DOZENS MORE ARE REGULARLY

DETAINED WITHOUT CHARGE DURING CAMPAIGNS. NO OTHER PARTY IN A

MODERN DEMOCRACY HAS EXPERIENCED SUCH PERSECUTION WHICH

USUALLY BEGINS WITH THE RUC TELLING A PERSON THAT HIS OR HER 'FILE'

HAS SUDDENLY GONE MISSING. THE COLLUSION OF SECURITY FORCES IN THIS

CAMPAIGN TO DEPRIVE NATIONALISTS OF THEIR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN

THE POLITICAL PROCESS IS APPARENT TO ALL NOT TOO BLIND TO SEE. AS

ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES YOU CAN CAMPAIGN HERE FREE OF SUCH

VIOLENT INTIMIDATION. YOUR FURTHER INQUIRY INTO THIS CAMPAIGN TO SILENCE SINN FEIN COULD PROVE CRITICAL TO RESTORING A TRUE

DEMOCRACY TO THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN THE NORTH.

"

FINALLY, I WOULD APPEAL TO YOU TO SPECIFICALLY ON BEHALF OF TWO OF OUR MEMBERS-JOSEPH DOHERTY AND JIMMY SMYTH. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH

TIME TO DETAIL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR CURRENT IMPRISONMENT IN

THE NORTH. SUFFICE IT TO SAY WE BELIEVE THEIR TERM OF IMPRISONMENT SHOULD BE REDUCED BY THE TIME THEY SPENT IN CONFINEMENT IN THIS

COUNTRY WHILE WE AND MOST OTHER IRISH-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS

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SUPPORTED

THEIR LENGTHY BATTLE AGAINST DEPORTATION AND

EXTRADITION. THIS IS A HUMANITARIAN PLEA ON BEHALF OF THEIR FAMILIES

AND IN THE INTEREST OF PROMOTING THE HEALING SO NECESSARY FOR THE

RECONCILIATION OF THE DIVIDED COMMUNITIES. I WOULD ASK THAT THIS

COMMITTEE OR ITS' MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY WRITE TO DR. MOWLAM, THE SECRETARY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND, AND THAT THE TIME IN AMERICA BE

CREDITED TO THEIR ORIGINAL SENTENCE.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO MY TESTIMONY AND

ASK THAT IT MAY BE INCLUDED IN ITS' ENTIRETY IN THE RECORD OF THIS

PROCEEDING.

BRITISH SECURITY FORCES USE OF PLASTIC BULLETS

WHEREAS, in the North of Ireland British Crown forces have consistently used six inch hard, solid plastic cylinders called "plastic bullets” to maintain crowd control and to intimidate and injure civilians; and

WHEREAS, the use of those bullets has cost 17 people their lives children; and

WHEREAS, thousands of Irish people have suffered serious and permanent injury from these bullets including most recently Kevin McCafferty, a sixteen year old youth from Derry who in July 1996 lost his eye at Union Hall Place; and

WHEREAS, plastic bullets are currently banned by the Home Office in Great Britain, Wales and Scotland; and

WHEREAS, the European Parliament, the British Labor Party, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference have all condemned and called for a ban of their use; Now Therefore Be It

RESOLVED, that the undersigned organizations call upon the President to publicly appeal for a British ban on the use of these plastic bullets; and Be It Further

RESOLVED, that the President instruct the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to raise this issue for action by the U.N. General Assembly; and Be It Further

RESOLVED, that should the British fail to ban the use of these bullets we undersigned call upon Congress to hold public hearings on the suspension of contributions to the IFI.

House Committee on International Relations

Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights

Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity to address this Committee. I am Mary E. Paglione, President of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians in America. The LAOH was established in 1894 and now has over 11 thousand members from all over the United States. Like the AOH we are committed to our Irish heritage and our Catholic Faith and support for our brothers and sisters in all of Ireland. Despite the circumstances that forced many of our ancestors to these shores, we are proud of the Irish contribution to America and even prouder now to have the opportunity to give something back to Ireland, hopefully peace with justice.

The very real and systematic abuse of human rights that is taking place in the six counties of Northern Ireland is a matter of utmost concern to the members of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. In August, 1995, on a tour of Ireland with officers and members of the LAOH and AOH we participated in a Mass at the Cathedral in Armagh, a woman approached me and two other officers who were wearing officers sashes that are orange, white and green. Her statement to us was "My but you are brave to wear the tri-colors here". At the time we thought little of it yet it shows the fear that the residents of that area live under. I will not try to enumerate the specifics or try to point out to you the most horrific instances. That we are here today indicates that the problem is at last being addressed by the appropriate body, the United States Congress.

You have already heard many distinguished panelists give their views today. I would like to offer mine from the perspective of an Irish-American woman, wife and mother. For each act of abuse there is a shock wave of victims. Each victim of abuse is a son, a husband, a sister, a daughter. Their pain is not felt alone. It is no surprise that the loudest voices calling for peace in Northern Ireland are those of women.

Being a Catholic woman in Northern Ireland carries with it the double burden of discrimination. A system that ridicules your religion, allows church goers to be pelted and stoned on the way to Mass and then places women lower on the employment lists than any other category is not only abusing basic human rights it is an affront to human dignity.

The LAOH has always been concerned with human rights abuses in Northern Ireland. I recently appointed Eileen C. McNeill, of Ohio, Chairperson, National Office of Catholic Action to serve with me on this committee. The LAOH is participating in the Prisoners' Dependents Fund and St. Pauls' Parish Church in Belfast building fund.

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