A MAJOR racism campaigner has said that the reports into the summer riots in Burnley, Oldham and Bradford have failed to address the root causes.

The National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR), a London-based pressure group, said that although the reports commissioned to find the causes of the rioting have made some "powerful" points, it claimed that its work may be undermined by claims that 'self imposed' segregation by Asian communities and a lack of understanding of British culture are responsible for the disturbances.

The Burnley Task Force report questioned whether the town, or East Lancashire was multicultural or integrated.

It also said that significant division in the Asian communities appeared to add to the problem and hinder inclusion in Burnley.

The NAAR is also opposed to the implementation of an oath of allegiance to Britain, which it claims would only serve to legitimise the policies of the British National Party.

A spokesman for the NAAR said it agreed with the comments made by Burnley community leader Shahid Malik when he said that an oath of allegiance would only benefit the BNP.

General secretary of the NAAR, Lee Jasper said: "The root causes of the riots and not the symptoms need to be established.

"Segregation is a symptom of racism.

"It is the Asian communities, living in the worst housing, more likely to be unemployed, less likely to be responded to by the police when facing racist attacks and more likely to face harsher sentences within the criminal justice system who are the victims of institutional racism.

"It is unacceptable to suggest that victims of racism are pointed at as the causes of the problems they are experiencing.

"The disturbances in the north of England should have been a wake up call for the government to press ahead in the implementation of the recommendations of the report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence and to take firm action against neo-Nazi groups.

"Instead we are now facing the prospect of Asian communities already under tremendous attack further alienated through the blame they are facing."