LONDON'S VIGIL FOR BOMBING VICTIMS
(15 July 2005)

Thursday's vigil at Trafalgar Square in London, marked by a two-minute silence at noon in honour of those who died in the terrorist bomb attacks last week, continued in the evening with a vigil of poems, messages and prayers from celebrities, and political and faith leaders. London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, made an emotional speech about how the city stands as a world capital, and Lord Coe expressed his determination to work hard over the next 7 years to show that to the world at the 2012 Olympics. Sir Iqbal Sacranie of the Muslim Council of Britain quoted from the Quran to suggest how wrong it is to use the name of Islam to carry out these atrocities.

Following the two-minute silence, Ken Livingstone said "London's response today showed why the terrorists have no chance of success whatever. Their attack has driven Londoners closer together not farther apart, and made them still more proud of their city.

'But what the terrorists can do is ruin individual lives. Today we commemorate victims who could have been any Londoner. While we can never make up for what those individuals have suffered it is the first duty of the city to do every single thing that can be done.

'The remarkable unity showed by Londoners today is not only the best way to commemorate those who died, and to express our determination that we will never change our life under the threat of terror, but is also our best defence against those who would attack us. The information given by every London community has helped the police piece together with remarkable speed what happened. What the police above all require today is intelligence - information from every community, help from every community to isolate and eliminate those who threaten us all."

The other four major faith leaders then came together, united, to say their prayers. His Grace, Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, congratulated Londoners on the maturity and the resilience they have shown and said a Christian prayer.The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor then recited a Catholic prayer. The Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks, spoke of our basic human rights, while Dr Indarjit Singh from the Network of Sikh Organisations said that there is no difference between Hindus, Muslims and Christians, as we are all one family under God.

Anil Bhanot, General Secretary of the Hindu Council UK, recited the Maha Martunjya Mantra. He said "today I will recite it 8 times for the speedy recovery of those injured and the salvation of those who tragically lost their lives last week and if you can also remember them in the all pervasive consciousness seated in our hearts.

"Om Trayambkam Yajamahe, Sughundhim Pushti Verdhanam
Urva Rukmev Bandhyanath, mrityor mokshiyah maamrataat, Om."

ABOUT THE HINDU COUNCIL

HCUK is the main representative body uniting over half a million Hindus in the UK. It was established in 1994 by the 30 year old National Council of Hindu Temples to represent all facets of Hinduism, and the same mandate was obtained from the UK's Hindu community over a period of 2 years prior to the HCUK's launch in November 1994.

HCUK incorporates all major umbrella bodies like the National Council of Hindu Temples, Arya Prithni Samaj Sabha, Federation of Shaiva Sri Lankan Temples, Swami Narayan Temples, Iskcon Temples, Jain Samaj Europe, Nirankari Sikh Mandal UK, and all Hindu cultural and educational organisations in the UK, including the HCUK's branch network of regional Hindu Councils of Brent, Harrow, Birmingham, Leicester, North etc.

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