Racist Attacks!!
The recent spate of 'Racist Attacks' in Australia, has prompted many people to ask me about my experience during my stay down under. Obviously, after spending a year and half in Oz, everyone expects me to have a view of the happenings over the last month.
Well, like everyone else around, these attacks have amazed me. I must say that I enjoyed almost every moment of my stay in Melbourne and never once, did I even sniff a hint of racist outpouring against me or those around me. Considering the fact that the country is made up of a large Immigrant population, such discriminations are highly likely to occur, but fortunately, unheard off, especially in comparison to the racist attacks that happen in UK or USA. But all that changed last month......
In order to get a first hand look at the ground reality, I recently spoke to my very good friend who is still residing in Melbourne and asked him what was going on. A long chat with him revealed the following:
Now for the real story. Racist attacks against Indian students living in such places have been going on for quite some time, especially when they are returning home from work in the wee hours of the night. No police complaint is filed because on investigation there is chance that the police may find out that the students have been working illegally. Till about last month these sporadic attacks were limited to verbal abuses, but the unfortunate stabbing of a student and his hospitalization brought the matter out in public.
All of us know what all has happened after that. It is really unfortunate that those students were attacked and abused. But I still feel that the media is wrong on branding Australia as a "Racist State". It's not that I support the country and all that has been happening there, instead I simply feel that the media needs to probe further into the attack to determine the real motive behind these attacks.
Sometimes I wonder why the racism that happens in UK is almost never reported in the media. I was speaking to a colleague of mine who spent a year in UK and he told me of incidents when he was called "Bloody Elephant" and "Fu*%# Cow" by people who crossed him on the streets of Southampton. There were also incidents when he was walking with his Indian friend and two teenage girls who were crossing them from the opposite side, stopped, turned around and made an action as if they were vomiting till they passed.
These incidents are not as bad as the stabbings that took place in Melbourne, but I certainly would brand these as 'Racist Attacks'. How come this is never reported??
To conclude, I feel that the media and the public at large must re-define the word "Racism" and correctly report the incidents that happen round the world. Only then will the Government of India and other related authorities be able to address the 'real' problem and hopefully solve it for good.
Well, like everyone else around, these attacks have amazed me. I must say that I enjoyed almost every moment of my stay in Melbourne and never once, did I even sniff a hint of racist outpouring against me or those around me. Considering the fact that the country is made up of a large Immigrant population, such discriminations are highly likely to occur, but fortunately, unheard off, especially in comparison to the racist attacks that happen in UK or USA. But all that changed last month......
In order to get a first hand look at the ground reality, I recently spoke to my very good friend who is still residing in Melbourne and asked him what was going on. A long chat with him revealed the following:
- The media, as expected, has hyped the whole incident. The attacks did happen, but not in Melbourne city. They occurred in places far away from the city. The places he named were Weribee and St. Albans, which if I am not wrong are almost 50kms or more from Melbourne. Indians staying in Melbourne continue to feel safe as they travel daily to work or study.
- The places mentioned above, are infamous for a lot of reasons, mainly the fact that the locals there, are mainly those who have no jobs and live off government money. They end up drunk almost every night and have been arrested multiple times for getting into trouble. Lots of Indian students like such far off places since the rent there is dirt cheap compared to the city.
- Another fact, which I knew off even during my stay, which is very unfortunate but true, is that almost 80% of the students who go to Australia, never take their studies seriously. The country provides them with a great opportunity to mint dollars and Indian students, especially from the states of Punjab, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh flock there looking for the same. They work overtime, crossing the legal limit of 20hrs/week, and hardly ever attend college. Staying in such far off places provides them with the perfect refuge to escape the hands of the law.
Now for the real story. Racist attacks against Indian students living in such places have been going on for quite some time, especially when they are returning home from work in the wee hours of the night. No police complaint is filed because on investigation there is chance that the police may find out that the students have been working illegally. Till about last month these sporadic attacks were limited to verbal abuses, but the unfortunate stabbing of a student and his hospitalization brought the matter out in public.
All of us know what all has happened after that. It is really unfortunate that those students were attacked and abused. But I still feel that the media is wrong on branding Australia as a "Racist State". It's not that I support the country and all that has been happening there, instead I simply feel that the media needs to probe further into the attack to determine the real motive behind these attacks.
Sometimes I wonder why the racism that happens in UK is almost never reported in the media. I was speaking to a colleague of mine who spent a year in UK and he told me of incidents when he was called "Bloody Elephant" and "Fu*%# Cow" by people who crossed him on the streets of Southampton. There were also incidents when he was walking with his Indian friend and two teenage girls who were crossing them from the opposite side, stopped, turned around and made an action as if they were vomiting till they passed.
These incidents are not as bad as the stabbings that took place in Melbourne, but I certainly would brand these as 'Racist Attacks'. How come this is never reported??
To conclude, I feel that the media and the public at large must re-define the word "Racism" and correctly report the incidents that happen round the world. Only then will the Government of India and other related authorities be able to address the 'real' problem and hopefully solve it for good.
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