A PROTESTANT schoolgirl yesterday stood in front of six Sinn Fein supporters and declared that no one wanted a return to violence.
Katherine Hazlett (16), a student at Foyle and Londonderry College, nervously walked on to the platform at a peace rally in Derry's Guildhall Square and told the 1,000 strong crowd that she wanted them to hear the voice of youth.
Directly before her in the front row of the lunchtime rally six Sinn Fein supporters, among them Ms Mary Nelis, carried placards calling for all party talks now.
Ms Nelis was to have been in Downing Street yesterday with other local councillors from the North for a meeting with British Prime Minister, Mr Major. The meeting was, however, called off following the Canary Wharf bomb attack.
Katherine said that although she attended a Protestant school, most of her friends were Catholics.
"It has never been a problem for me to socialise with or work alongside anyone from either side of the community. I don't know many people who say that's a problem for them.
"It is obvious to me that we do not want a return to the violence and we do not need a return to the violence. What we do need is for the government to get up and recognise this and to do something about it now," she said.
The rally, organised by Derry Trades Council, was told by Ms, Geraldine Quigley, branch secretary of the MSF union, that the IRA's bomb attack last Friday was not an act of strength but an act of desperation which had put back many of the gains of 17 months of peace. She accused the British government of squandering the best chance for peace in Ireland.
"It is pretty obvious where the fault for the breakdown of the ceasefire lies it lies with the British government. John Major has pushed the peace process to the limit to keep his hands on power at Westminster.
"We want talks now, we want an end to these arguments about preconditions. We want a ceasefire that is permanent now. No more bombs, they haven't worked for the past 25 years, and they won't work now.
"I personally am fed up with people playing Russian roulette with my life and with the lives of, my people. Did the IRA ask permission from any of us to restart the war? No, but we are the ones who will live with the consequences," she said.
Throughout yesterday, Derry's cross community Peace and Reconciliation Group opened a book of peace for people to sign.
Within a two hour period, more than 1,500 people had signed, many of them underlining the word "peace" beside their name. The group also distributed white peace ribbons which had been donated by local shopkeepers.