Emotions ran high during the candlelight vigil in Birmingham in memory of the three young British Asians who were mowed down by a speeding car,but appeals for calm and peace from local residents won over passions for revenge. Birmingham has a history of uneasy relations between Asians and the Afro-Caribbean community. The last major tension between the two communities was witnessed in 2005 in the Lozells area,where Asians have economically prospered over the years. Sachdev Virdi,the Indian-origin president of the Asian Rationalists Society of Britain told a news agency from Birmingham: "The community has to behave wisely. The police have taken a civilised approach. The effort is to do our best to ensure that the community is not divided". Candles marked the spot last night where Haroon Jahan,21,and brothers Shazad Ali,30 and Abdul Musavir,31,had been killed late on Tuesday night,allegedly by members of the Afro-Caribbean community. Both Prime Minister David Cameron and leader of the opposition Ed Miliband today paid tributes to Tariq Jahan,whose son Haroon was killed. Miliband called Jahan "the true face of Britain". Calling for calm and no attempt at revenge,Jahan had said: "I don't blame the government,I don't blame the police,I don't blame nobody. It was his destiny and his fate,and now he's gone". The police have arrested one person and has promised speedy justice,but some members at the vigil demanded that the Asian community organise a march to the city centre,which had the potential of degenerating into violence. Birmingham's Asian community includes people with origins in India,Pakistan,Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The Asian identity is often stressed as members of the community are tied together by economic,cultural and social relations. This is reflected in the all-round praise won by Sangat TV,a local community channel devoted to Sikh issues and events,for its coverage of the riots. Its presenter Upinder Randhawa was close to tears on air while filming a group of distraught Muslim men who had learned about the death of their friend. At the vigil,there were no politicians,no official community spokespeople or religious leaders,but local men,struggling to know how to manage their grief and anger,The Guardian reported from Birmingham. After prayers and a silent vigil,men took turns to express their views. There had been fears that the meeting,held after last prayer of the day would be a flashpoint,sparking a further round of rioting and looting. There was a minority in the crowd that wanted revenge on the black community,whom they held responsible for the deaths,but their views did not prevail in the end. The report said: "It is hard to explain how the men gathered in the dark reached the conclusion they did. There was no leader; the forum was open for people to speak and disagree". Harpreet Singh,28,who participated in the vigil,implored others not to take to the streets. He said they had gathered to pay their respects to the deceased and prove they were united. Ed Miliband,leader of the opposition,called Jahan the 'true face of Britain'. Touching on deeper issues involved in the rioting,Cameron said the street gangs were mostly comprised of young boys mainly from dysfunctional homes,and evidence suggests they were behind coordinating the riots. He also said there was a strong need to address the moral lapse and 'broken' society. "I have said before that there is a major problem in our society with children growing up not knowing the difference between right and wrong. This is not about poverty,it's about culture. A culture that glorifies violence,shows disrespect to authority,and says everything about rights but nothing about responsibilities". In too many cases,he said,the parents of these children,"if they are still around",did not care where their children were or who they were with. "The potential consequences of neglect and immorality on this scale have been clear for too long,without enough action being taken," he said. Noting that the world had been watching the events in Britain,he said: "We need to show the world,which has looked on frankly appalled,that the perpetrators of the violence we have seen on our streets are not in any way representative of our country - nor of our young people". He added: "We need to show them that we will address our broken society,we will restore a sense of stronger sense of morality and responsibility - in every town,in every street and in every estate. A year away from the Olympics,Cameron said the country all the more needs to show the world the Britain "that doesn't destroy,but that builds; that doesn't give up but stands up; that doesn't look back,but always forwards".
