Glasgow, Scotland (KP) – On Sunday 19th November 2006 scores of Sikhs joined by local people gathered with community leaders and representatives from other faiths in the Edinburgh park where the gruesome assault of the 15-year-old Sikh boy took place. Event organisers, which includes the Sikh Human Rights Group, said: “We are praying that the intolerance we are experiencing does not become part of an unending cycle of uncontrollable hate and retribution in our society.”
Hundreds of Sikhs travelled from all over the UK to Pilrig Park in Edinburgh to attend the prayer vigil at the site of a racist attack where a Sikh teenager was subjected to a tirade of abuse before kicking and punching him to the ground. Subsequently, the attackers pulled out a knife and forcibly cut his Kesh (sacred unshorn hair), in what at least one Scottish Sikh described as “a primitive way of getting a tribal war trophy.”
The Sikh Sangat joined by local people, representatives of other faith groups and Scottish political leaders peacefully and gracefully marched from the Mill Lane Gurdwara Sahib to Pilrig Park holding banners and chanting “Sat Naam, Waheguru” (His Name is True, Wonderful Lord). During the two-hour event, candles were lit as a host of religious leaders and organisation representatives offered prayers and sympathy to the teenager's family, and called for interfaith unity and dialogue to counter the violence of the attack.
The Rev Professor Frank Whaling, president of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, said: "We are glad to be giving support to the Sikh community today. We want to pass on our thoughts, prayers and sympathies to the boy and his family."
Chief Inspector Keith Chamberlain, from Lothian and Borders Police, said: “The rally at Pilrig Park was well organised and supported by not just the Sikh community but community leaders from a number of other faiths and local people.” Police have set up a dedicated text service and e-mail address in a bid to catch the gang responsible for the attack.
Mr Rab Singh said, “I've spent time with the boy's family, and he is very shocked.” He added, “But he was at the temple this morning and he will be all right.” The community has been working closely with police over the incident, he added.
