Updated:
Racial
Attacks on Indian students in Australia
Los Angeles, July 02, 2009
By Inder Singh
During the last few weeks, about 19 students have been beaten
or attacked with a screw driver or similar weapon, mostly in Melbourne
(Victoria) and some in Sydney (New South Wales). Some attackers
allegedly hurled racist abuses which were initially denied by
the Victorian police but later confirmed that some of the attacks
were "clearly racist". One student has died while another
is still in critical condition. The continued violence forced
the Victorian Police Chief Commissioner to launch a new sweep
against crime in the worst-hit areas in Melbourne, using helicopters,
mounted police, dogs and transit police. However, Police Chief’s
well meaning action has not brought an end to the random attacks
as yet. The latest victim is a 22-year Resham Singh whose attackers
tried to remove his turban and cut his hair.
The repeated violent attacks caused major concerns at the highest
governmental level. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his
deep concern in a telephone call with the Prime Minister of Australia,
Kevin Rudd who later said that he would do "everything possible
to maximize security" and step up safety measures for international
students.
The attacks on students became a major cause of worry for parents
in India. Many students have been pressured by their parents to
return to India. Some have preferred safety over education and
have decided to quit their studies and go back to join their families
in India. Several students from India who had secured admissions
have sent their cancellations.
Australia's education industry has boomed in recent years to
become the country's third largest export earner after coal and
iron ore. According to Forbes, Australia has a $15.5bn business
with foreign students. There are over 450,000 international students
in Australia enrolled in universities and vocational institutes
of which 75,000 students are Indians - the second highest after
the Chinese. Indian student enrolments in vocational education
and training (VET) have shot up during the last three years. They
are widely using admission into vocational courses to gain permanent
residency (PR) status. As per the data compiled by the Australian
Education International, over 52,000 Indian students are enrolled
in these programs, the highest number from any country. The number
of Indian students pursuing higher studies in Australian universities
has, however, not changed much.
The violence against the students and lack of protection from
the law enforcement agencies can affect the popularity of Australia
as an education destination for Indian students. The Australian
education officials are becoming increasingly concerned at the
potential damage the ongoing violence could cause to the third
biggest export earner for Australia, after coal and iron ore.
Following a wave of savage attacks on Indian students that have
caused global outrage, the Australian government has set up a
taskforce comprising of senior officials from the department of
foreign affairs and trade, the department of education and workplace
relations, the department of immigration and citizenship and the
attorney-generals' department to deal with the problem. Universities
Australia, a body comprising of 38 Australia's universities, has
adopted a 10-point action plan for student safety.
The Australian authorities plan to launch a telephone helpline
for Indian students facing discrimination and violence. The Ministry
of Overseas Indian Affairs, with the help of Indian missions,
is planning to formulate a data bank on the students. Minister
for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said that the data bank
would include details on the total number of Indian students in
a country, their place of stay and job conditions of the part
time employed students, etc.
GOPIO Australia Coordinator Amarinder Walia, GOPIO Regional
Vice President Noel Lal and GOPIO chapter presidents Harry Walia
and Jagidh Lodhia met Mrs. Sujata Singh, India’s High Commissioner
in Canberra and discussed the ways of helping students. They have
organized fund raising for Rajesh Kumar who suffered 30% burn
wounds in Harris park petrol bomb incident and are also providing
legal aid where necessary. They are in communication with the
local MP’s, office of the Prime Minister and Premiere of
New South Wales and are involved with community confidence building
exercises. They are in the process of setting up a GOPIO website
to facilitate job network for the students and employers. The
website can also be used for reporting incidents which GOPIO volunteers
would follow up with the police and authorities.
Australian government has now started measures to control the
damage. Australia's secretary of the department of education,
employment and workplace relations, was in India in June and met
with high ranking officials and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister
Vayalar Ravi and assured him that a regulatory mechanism would
be in place to ensure proper wage for students engaged in part-time
jobs. A high-level delegation comprising of representatives from
Australian universities, vocational institutes, state governments,
state police and foreign office will reach New Delhi on July 4.
The delegation will be led by the head of international education
Colin Walters and will do an extensive tour of cities. They will
meet state governments, students and parents to reassure them
that Australia is really a safe destination for Indian students.
This will be the biggest such delegation from Australia, indicating
the importance this issue has taken.
Australia had instituted “White only” policy in 1901,
at the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Asians
and colored races were considered aliens and subject to deportation.
After WWII and particularly since the 1970s, immigration to Australia
was no longer based on a person’s color, nationality, or
creed. A large influx of Indo Fijians migrated to Australia after
the coup in Fiji. About 45,000 Anglo-Indians made Australia their
home after India gained independence in 1947. According to the
High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora, Indian population in
Australia in 2001 was 190,000. The current population of NRI/PIO
community is estimated at 260,000.
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Inder Singh regularly writes and speaks on Indian Diaspora. He
is President of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin
(GOPIO) and chairman of Indian American Heritage Foundation. He
was president of National Federation of Indian American Associations
(NFIA) from 1988-92 and chairman from 1992-96. He was founding
president of Federation of Indian Associations in Southern California.
He can be reached at indersingh-usa@hotmail.com