ATTACKS HIT AUSTRALIA’S IMAGE
January 13th, 2010 by | Posted in News Comments Off on ATTACKS HIT AUSTRALIA’S IMAGE
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The racial attacks on Indians have gone on un-abated with reports of another Indian being attacked yesterday in Sydney. A 28 year old man had been badly beaten by a group of Australian boys and girls at the Coogee Beach in Sydney. No one else present on the beach came to his rescue. The victim then called the police who arrived at least 40 minutes after the incident took place. The victim had been living in Australia for the past 11 years and was a permanent resident there.
He had complained of pain in his back, neck and head and was taken to the Hospital for an internal medical check up and X-rays. He said he believed that this attack was unprovoked and racial in nature.
One person has been arrested in connection with this attak. The attacker has admitted that he had alongwith others punched and kicked the victim.
The name of the victim has not been released by the Police. This incident has further shaken the confidence of the Indian community residing in Australia.
The Secretay of Foreign affairs, India, has said that India is taking these attacks very seriously as such incidents have shaken the confidence of the Indian community residing in Australia.
External Affairs Minister, India, also had a telephonic conversation with the Australian Foreign Minister.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith telephoned External Affairs Minister, Shri S.M. Krishna, yesterday afternoon. The Australian FM conveyed his condolences on the tragic deaths of Indian citizens in Australia in recent attacks, and said that the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia had already condemned these attacks.
Krishna conveyed his deep concern at the recent series of attacks especially in the last 10 days, which seem to have recurred after a period of relative calm of a few months. He reiterated the need for immediate corrective measures, pointing out that the issue had consistently figured in our Parliament.
Foreign Minister Smith conveyed that he was conscious of the need for an early breakthrough in the ongoing investigations concerning these incidents, and that his Government attached the highest priority to ensure the continued well-being of Indian students. He was also appreciative of the concern in the Indian Parliament following these unfortunate incidents. He conveyed his understanding of the spirit in which EAM had underlined GOI’s grave concerns.
Krishna recalled that Australian leaders had time and again, reassured India that the Australian authorities were treating the incidents of assaults with utmost seriousness. However, the incidents seem to be continuing. He emphasized to the Australian Foreign Minister that non-redressal of this vital issue will cast a shadow on our otherwise excellent bilateral relations, and urged that the Australian government should immediately ensure that the concerned State police authorities deal with ongoing investigations with sensitivity and a sense of urgency.
Peter Verghese, the Australian high commmissioner has admitted that his country’s image in India has been hit by the recent atacks on Indians and maintained his earlier stance that these attacks were not racial. He added that the Australian government had increased police patrolling in sensitive areas.
The family members of Jaspreet Singh, who was set ablaze by four unidentified persons two days ago, are eagerly awaiting his safe return to his home town Yamunagar.
Meanwhile the body of Nitin Garg, who was stabbed to death in Melbourne on Jan.2 was cremated in Ludhiana on Jan.11.
Should the parents still send their children to study in Australia? Australia is definitely an unsafe country to live, as the Indians are exclusively being targeted there.
Ravi Matah
Tags: Another attack in Sydney, Indian attacked in Sydney, Racial attack
I just say ‘ All that Glitters is not gold ” holds very true for Australia………
While this is very worrying, I’m not sure it’s fair to say that “Indians are exclusively being targeted”.
In some cases, this is probably true, and I think racism is certainly a factor in some of these incidents.
However, the truth is that there are a lot of young Australians who are just anti-social and aggressive, and would start trouble with anyone. We don’t know for sure if the man who was assaulted here was targeted because he was Indian. It is possible he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
There certainly a racism problem in Australia to some extent, but the Indian media have exaggerated it to some extent. There are plenty of assaults in which non-Indians are attacked.
It’s a shameful trend, but to some degree, street violence is an unfortunate reality of living in a large city. It’s bad, but probably not as bad as it’s being made out to be.