Petition highlights anti-war message

Cambridge Evening News, 25 January 2003, page 13

A WOMAN has set about giving a voice to growing anger over a possible war in Iraq by starting a petition which she hopes will go to every village in the region.

Former antiques dealer Chris Boyland is so angry Tony Blair and George W Bush seem to be preparing for a war with Iraq without the go-ahead from the United Nations, she has decided to take matters into her own hands.

Ms Boyland, who lives in Rampton, near Cambridge, collected more than 100 signatures from Rampton residents over one weekend and hopes to take a group of campaigners to Downing Street and present the petition to the Prime Minister's office.

She said: "I get the feeling that there are an awful lot of people opposed to what is happening at the moment and they are not being given a voice.

"I am hoping the opposition will snowball among villagers throughout the region so that if it does happen that we go to war, it is not something which is happening in our names."

She added she was keen to see her campaign gather support across the nation with millions of people signing the petition.

Ms Boyland added that the response from villagers had been generally positive with some even offering their thanks that someone was doing something to get their views heard.

The petition, which is an open letter to the Prime Minister, urges the Government to leave the decision on whether to engage the country in war to the United Nations rather than individual countries.

Anyone is interested in joining the campaign by starting up petitions in their own village should contact Ms Boyland on (01954) 250252

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