Grace joins Iraqi human shield (From Stroud News and Journal)

Grace joins Iraqi human shield

IN AN extraordinary act of bravery, a Stroud peace campaigner is planning to travel to Baghdad to put herself between the Iraqi people and the military might of the West.

Mum of four Grace Trevett, 45, said she is prepared to stand up against American and British bombs by joining others to form an international human shield.

And her decision has been described by Stroud's mayor Cllr John Marjoram as "one of the bravest things someone from the town has ever done."

"I'm very proud of her," he said. "It takes a lot of courage to face up to a military power with direct non-violent action."

Grace from Castle Street has previously travelled to Washington and walked to London in the name of peace.

"We want to let the Iraqi people know that we're not all on board with this war and we do care about them," she said.

"There is no such thing as acceptable collateral damage, we are all individuals, we are all global citizens and we all matter."

Grace hopes the presence of Western citizens at hospitals, water plants, schools and other non-military parts of the Iraqi infrastructure will make the generals think twice before bombing Baghdad.

It won't be the first time Grace has looked death in the face. In 2001 she discovered she was very ill and had to undergo major surgery. She survived against the odds which gave her a greater appreciation of life.

The idea of going to Iraq came after she read an article in the Guardian in which former US Marine and Gulf War veteran Ken Nichols O' Keefe who is organising the human shield.

She said considering going out there made the problems being faced by Iraq much more real.

"I didn't sleep the night I decided I would probably go. "It was suddenly all very real and I thought, this is something which could end my life."

Mr Nichols O'Keefe came to Stroud on Sunday evening to discuss the trip with Grace and meet members of the Stroud Peace Movement.

He said he couldn't give Grace any promises she would be safe if she joined him but he claimed this was the only way he could see of stopping the war.

"I don't really mind if I end up dead," said Mr Nichols O'Keefe. "I don't really want to live in a world where I see things going the way they are going right now.

"We need to do more than vote and recycle to exercise our freedom."

Mr Nichols O'Keefe who has renounced his US citizenship believes the human shield could make it impossible for the West to attack the people of Iraq.

"This thing has the potential to grow so thousands of people go out there," he said.

He hopes to take at least one bus full of campaigners and as much food and medical supplies as can be carried as well as a video camera to record the war if the bombs start falling.

* For more information about the human shield action log on to the website at www.uksociety.org