FEATURE: Student attacks in Australia

As the fallout from the break up of a protest by Indian students in Australia earlier this week lingers, there are promises of more demonstrations and threats to go beyond passive resistance.

The organisers of student protests in Melbourne say they're planning more rallies to keep attention on the violence against international students.

At the same time, the local police commissioner is promising to continue efforts to stop students being bashed.

Hamish Fitzsimmons

Last Updated: Tue, 9 Jun 2009 13:43:00 +1000

If one of the aims of the protests by Indian students last weekend in Melbourne was to get attention, they've got it.

"Whatever the motivation, racism is wrong, and these crimes are wrong, and Victoria Police has already devoted a lot of time and effort to tackling this problem," Victoria's Police Commissioner, Simon Overland, said in the wake of Sunday's demonstration.

Former student and banker, Yogesh Malhotra, was among those at the protests.

"If the protest has never been made, I don't think the police commissioner, Kevin Rudd, or anyone else would have come forward and say, 'yep, these things are happening in society'," he said.

The Australian Government has formed a task force to investigate violence against Indian students, and the Victorian Government says it will consider including so called 'hate crimes' - those which target certain groups - in sentencing offenders.

"It's absolutely unacceptable, and it's unAustralian that anyone should be subject to that sort of violence,"
said Police Commander Trevor Carter.

He says in the past 7 years Melbourne' s international student population has exploded.

"We've seen a rise in Indian students particularly, from 5,000 students in 2002 to 46,000 in 2008," he said.

"So over that six year period, [that is] a significant increase."

The Indian media has jumped on the story over the past few weeks as savage attacks on students were brought to light.

Saurabh Azad, an Indian journalist based in Melbourne, says there's a perception in India that authorities in Australia don't care about what's happening to Indian students.

"The common people don't know what's happening," he said.

"A 'chk chk boom' story makes bigger news here than someone getting stabbed, so what reaction? How long does it take to get a reaction here?"

The publicity surrounding the weekend's protests has prompted many to come forward and tell their story about attacks.

"I was just going across the street, and I had two boys - they seemed like 16-year-olds - approach me," Ruchir Punjabi, president of Sydney University Union, said.

"It was a mugging attempt where they tried getting money from me. I fortunately just walked unscathed and because they were 16-year-olds I didn't react.

"They hit me once, but I didn't react and I walked off."

Mr Punjabi, one of the most senior student leaders in the country, doesn't believe the attacks are racially motivated against Indians, but believes all international students appear vulnerable to opportunist criminals.

"It would seem that these students are not as comfortable in the environment or the community around them, they won't protest as much and would give up their valuables or assets," he said.

And now that students have the ear of Australian state and federal governments they're keen to drive their point home with further rallies, another is planned for Melbourne in the coming week.

"There should be peaceful rally next time, in a more organised way," said Yogesh Malhotra.

"Because youth is like a raw energy, it's like a raw force. Whatever direction you push them they will just go in that direction."

What worries former students like Mr Malhotra is talk in the student community in Melbourne of striking back.

He's concerned some are prepared to take things into their own hands if the attacks continue.

"Retaliation - it's like when someone is pushed so far against the wall, that person will push back," he said.someone will push back some people try to

"Some people say if someone tries to harass us, we harass them back."

Police Commander Trevor Carter believes the protests have been hijacked by other agendas

"I think there's been an element that has come into it that has turned it into something that was never intended and we don't think that aspect is helpful," he said.

"We very much want to work with the Indian students in their community to solve this particular problem."

The Victoria Police says by increasing the police presence at places where they socialise in and on public transport attacks on Indian students are in fact down.

"It's not the case where Victoria's unsafe, or Melbourne's unsafe - it's quite the opposite," Mr Carter said.

"So we need to send a message and make it pretty clear that we're actually working hard to address this issue."

Victoria's Premier, John Brumby, spoke directly to the region on Australia Network's NewsHour program, assuring people that despite it's recent bad press, Victoria remains the place to be.

"We're the multicultural capital of Australia, and I think there's something to celebrate, he said.

"To send a message to Australia and around the world what a great and harmonious place Victoria is to live."

That confidence is echoed by senior members of Melbourne's Indian community.

"Even though the students are claiming that previously, whenever they used to report to Victoria Police that actions were not taken," education broker Vasan Srinivasan said.

"I am part of the Victoria Police reference group, and in the last three months or so what we have come across...they report to us every month what's happened and I'm quite confident, in their capacity and their level, they're trying to do their best."

Vasan Srinivasan runs a business bringing overseas students to Australia and is the president of the Federation of Indian Assocations of Victoria.

He says there is a danger that all the negative publicity around attacks on Indian students could hurt Australia's economy.

"We as a country, are earning $AU14.6 billion ($US11.7 billion) out of this international education," he said.

"[It is] the third largest export income for this country, the second largest for the state of Victoria, so I think everyone one of us are concerned, every one of us wants to do the right thing. During the recession time, we can't take any shortcuts.

Sydney University Union president Ruchir Punjabi says the current situation gives the government an opportunity to look at the bigger issues of international students.

"Not just looking at them as cash cows, but actually taking a step back and looking at if they actually want to sustain this growth of the influx of international students, given how the higher education system relies on it," he said.

"Providing a good education in the university is one thing, but making them to feel safe in Australia - that's another thing," says protester and former student Yogesh Malhotra.

A common thought expressed by many in the Australia's Indian community is that they don't want to see the name of their home dragged through the mud with accusations of racism.

"Generally, Australians are wonderful people and unfortunately every country you go there will be some bad elements here and there, but we cannot generalise a country," Vasan Srinivasan said.

"I've never faced it in the last 22 years."

Language News