ID :
63355
Sat, 05/30/2009 - 21:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/63355
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Attacks on Indians in Oz: Student community seeks swift action
Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, May 30 (PTI) Under fire over the spate of
racial attacks on Indian students, Australia Saturday
scrambled to salvage its image as a "safe" destination for
education for foreigners as anger swept through the community
which demanded swift action against the perpetrators.
Television footage of 25-year-old Shravan Kumar, who was
stabbed with a screwdriver by a group of teenagers, battling
for life in a hospital here sent shock waves among the
95,000-strong Indian student community in Australia which
sought stern action against the culprits.
The Federation of Indian Students in Australia (FISA) has
called for a peace rally here Sunday in response to the
growing anger in the community against increasing hate crimes.
"The purpose is to create an awareness about an
increasing number of hate crimes within the state (of
Victoria) and to promote racial harmony and peace," FISA said
in a statement.
The rally will start from Royal Melbourne Hospital, where
Kumar is lying in coma, and will conclude at the Victorian
Parliament House. A candle light vigil will also be held in
support for the recent victims of crime.
Another Indian student, Baljinder Singh, stabbed by two
attackers early this week, has been discharged from hospital
while Rajesh Kumar, who suffered 30 per cent burns after a
petrol bomb was hurled at him in his home, was being treated
in a Sydney hospital.
Concerned over increasing attacks on Indians in
Melbourne, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised the issue with
his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd Friday night.
Singh, who received a call from Rudd to congratulate him
on assumption of office for a second term, used the
opportunity to convey India's concerns over the attacks on
Indian students in Australia.
Rudd, who made no mention of the attacks having a racist
overtone, said he was "concerned about any act of violence in
the streets and suburbs of Australia's cities and towns and
particularly when we are obviously hosts to students from
around the world."
"It is appalling in every sense. Any act of violence, any
decent human being just responds with horror at the sorts of
attacks which have occurred recently," he said.
New Delhi wants that the attacks targeting Indians should
be stopped forthwith and steps taken to ensure their safety
and security.
A police officer from the state of Victoria, which houses
47,000 Indian students, leaves for India this weekend on a
mission to meet with students planning to visit Australia and
to teach them how to stay safe, ABC reported.
"It's mainly on crime prevention and safety strategy
tips. Probably much the sort of information I'd give to my
daughter if she was going overseas to another country," police
community liaison officer Leading Senior Constable Victor Robb
was quoted as saying.
However, the initiative by Victoria Police has been
criticised as "ill conceived" by the local Islamic Council,
which says police should spend more time arresting "racists"
and less time trying to teach Indians to look less Indian, the
report said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Julia
Gillard, meanwhile, said that Australia, where over 4 lakh
international students are based, "overwhelmingly is a safe
country."
"But I have recognised as minister for education that we
need to do more to ensure that students who come to study in
Australia from overseas are safe," she was quoted as saying by
'Radio Australia'.
"I am moving to make sure that we listen to the voice of
international students in this country about what would help
them feel safer and be safer and I am of course working with
our state and territory government's to make sure that police
respond and respond well to these incidents," Gillard said.
In his reaction to the recent assault cases, President of
the National Union of Students, David Barrow, said that
Federal and State Governments need to make Indian students
feel more comfortable about approaching Australian
authorities.
"You need to feel welcomed by this country and right now
we are treating international students like cash cows as
opposed to human beings," he said. PTI
Melbourne, May 30 (PTI) Under fire over the spate of
racial attacks on Indian students, Australia Saturday
scrambled to salvage its image as a "safe" destination for
education for foreigners as anger swept through the community
which demanded swift action against the perpetrators.
Television footage of 25-year-old Shravan Kumar, who was
stabbed with a screwdriver by a group of teenagers, battling
for life in a hospital here sent shock waves among the
95,000-strong Indian student community in Australia which
sought stern action against the culprits.
The Federation of Indian Students in Australia (FISA) has
called for a peace rally here Sunday in response to the
growing anger in the community against increasing hate crimes.
"The purpose is to create an awareness about an
increasing number of hate crimes within the state (of
Victoria) and to promote racial harmony and peace," FISA said
in a statement.
The rally will start from Royal Melbourne Hospital, where
Kumar is lying in coma, and will conclude at the Victorian
Parliament House. A candle light vigil will also be held in
support for the recent victims of crime.
Another Indian student, Baljinder Singh, stabbed by two
attackers early this week, has been discharged from hospital
while Rajesh Kumar, who suffered 30 per cent burns after a
petrol bomb was hurled at him in his home, was being treated
in a Sydney hospital.
Concerned over increasing attacks on Indians in
Melbourne, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised the issue with
his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd Friday night.
Singh, who received a call from Rudd to congratulate him
on assumption of office for a second term, used the
opportunity to convey India's concerns over the attacks on
Indian students in Australia.
Rudd, who made no mention of the attacks having a racist
overtone, said he was "concerned about any act of violence in
the streets and suburbs of Australia's cities and towns and
particularly when we are obviously hosts to students from
around the world."
"It is appalling in every sense. Any act of violence, any
decent human being just responds with horror at the sorts of
attacks which have occurred recently," he said.
New Delhi wants that the attacks targeting Indians should
be stopped forthwith and steps taken to ensure their safety
and security.
A police officer from the state of Victoria, which houses
47,000 Indian students, leaves for India this weekend on a
mission to meet with students planning to visit Australia and
to teach them how to stay safe, ABC reported.
"It's mainly on crime prevention and safety strategy
tips. Probably much the sort of information I'd give to my
daughter if she was going overseas to another country," police
community liaison officer Leading Senior Constable Victor Robb
was quoted as saying.
However, the initiative by Victoria Police has been
criticised as "ill conceived" by the local Islamic Council,
which says police should spend more time arresting "racists"
and less time trying to teach Indians to look less Indian, the
report said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Julia
Gillard, meanwhile, said that Australia, where over 4 lakh
international students are based, "overwhelmingly is a safe
country."
"But I have recognised as minister for education that we
need to do more to ensure that students who come to study in
Australia from overseas are safe," she was quoted as saying by
'Radio Australia'.
"I am moving to make sure that we listen to the voice of
international students in this country about what would help
them feel safer and be safer and I am of course working with
our state and territory government's to make sure that police
respond and respond well to these incidents," Gillard said.
In his reaction to the recent assault cases, President of
the National Union of Students, David Barrow, said that
Federal and State Governments need to make Indian students
feel more comfortable about approaching Australian
authorities.
"You need to feel welcomed by this country and right now
we are treating international students like cash cows as
opposed to human beings," he said. PTI
