We continue this series as we keep getting mails about reports of attacks on Indian students in Australia. As the attacks continue, we present yet another enthralling article by our writer from Australia in continuation to the previous one,
Discrimination? What Discrimination?
Following is a write-up titled as "Harassment of Indian Students Continue" sent to us by an Indian-born Australian staying with his family in Australia for the past 30 years. The identity of the writer has not been disclosed on his request. Please note that we at NNE neither support nor oppose the content of the following article.
Harassment of Indian Students Continue
In the foregoing story that Australia is an inherently racist nation, further acts of violence against Indians are starting to expose further glimpses into the level of discrimination suffered by those of Indian origin. (See the stories at Australia’s ABC Government News for the Griffiths and the Riverina Area - one of the largest Country Areas, like Dihats in India). There is no difference between treatment meted to Indians in Small Towns, Villages or Major Cities. It is essentially the same throughout the country.
As racism is a way of life in Australia, many fabricators try to make people believe that these occurrences are related to foreign customs and ways of living thereby psychologically reducing the impact on the local populace. It appears that the “feel good” philosophy appeases the minds of the local population who utilise excuses as a way of assuming nothing has happened that would not have happened in the country of origin of the maimed or killed Indians. It is a part of being accepted as ‘being Australian’ that a lot of people can not even recognise the racist comments right before their eyes.
It is sufficient to say that “ignorance is bliss” and the population follow the local media’s hype and spin, doctoring the events affecting Indians, as the local saying goes: “They are lucky to be in the Lucky Country and would have been suffering misery in their own homes”.
And, Of course, in the case of Mr Ranjodh Singh, who was recently murdered, Police statements even before an investigation commenced used the comment of: “the unfortunate outcome of what has been an escalating occurrence of violence in this region in regard to contractors welshing on paying the labour.” STRANGE! No investigations have commenced and yet Mr Singh is accused of cheating his workers as he is dead and cannot be present to prove otherwise?
This article started as a way to vent problems of Indian students, but it goes far beyond expectations into the lives of Indians in every walk of life. This article incorporates ALL Indians – students, business people and visitors alike with no holds barred – Just basic facts with footnotes for easy reference/proof and no fiction as circulated by the Politicians of Australia when trying to apply their diplomatic acts and appease the Indian Government.
However, there is more from students in Australia in the ensuing paragraphs of this article.
In another violent attack on an Indian Student, in Melbourne , during the same period, Ms Julia Gillard, the deputy prime minister immediately made comments that “there should be no rush to judgement over the attacks and defended Australia's crime rate as one of the world's lowest” even before investigations had started, adding "We all know, tragically, in the world that we live in, whether you're in Melbourne, or whether you're in New Delhi, you can come to grief through violent incidents,” in order to appease the population and justify the actions of racially motivated persons.
On searching the Internet, there has never been a similar attack on anyone in Australia as has been in the case of Nitin Garg who was stabbed to death while walking to work. I guess the authorities are now starting to actually see the racism Indians of all walks of life (Students, Businessmen, Workers, Visitors, etc..) have borne in the past years and the only means to justify the racist populace is to make comments without facts.
If the authorities are not hounding Indians in Australia, the ignorant populace certainly is.
When you visit a McDonalds, with an Indian Student serving you, complaints of poor service and incompetence rise dramatically. When you visit an Indian Business and are not served with massive bargaining discounts not offered by non-Indian Companies, the same applies and discriminatory complaints are made to the Office of Fair Trading for incompetence and pricing. The same fate is also suffered by Indian Restaurants, Indian Taxi Drivers and others. Keep in mind that it is the Indian businesses who are major employers of Indian students in Australia and what better way of teaching the Indian students a lesson other than affecting Indian Businesses.
In recent discussions with local Indian students, comments made were quite astounding when compared to the treatment meted out to them by their peers, as compared to “white skinned” Australians and Europeans.
A couple of examples are herein as stated by two Indian students recently.
A student, whom we shall call “A” remarked last week as follows:
“The Managing Director of our College, Mr. “X”, when approached with our problems tells us to go back to your country if you are unhappy and further threatens to cancel the students’ Copy of Enrolment” thereby automatically invalidating the Indian students visa which in turn automatically makes legally residing students into illegal aliens who can and are deported from Australia.
This, naturally, makes it impossible for Indian students to say anything at all for fear of reprisals.
“A” further went on to say “that they are being overcharged and ordered to pay extra costs for anything required of the Colleges they study in and are being failed in order to increase their length of stay so that the college can earn more from them.” And, naturally, when the students request reasons for their failures, they are sent to the Managing Director of the College who threatens them with the usual deportation facility available.
This of course, leaves students with no other recourse than to quietly suffer consequences as they have spent oodles of money in order to obtain qualifications from Australia. Please note that if such remarks or actions are taken against non-Indian students, it is immediately reported to the Authorities and plastered over the news in Australia with severe consequences too!
This is confirmed by reports in another major Australian Daily Newspaper the Age which quite categorically backs up Student “A’s” allegations by stating on Thursday January 7, 2010, the following :
“Unscrupulous practices by some colleges and migration agents also battered Australia's reputation as a study destination.”
In the same article in The Age Daily Newspaper appears the following, with the usual excuses for the underlying reasons, of course:
“Andrew Smith, the chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, which represents private colleges, said he was expecting a ''significant'' decline in international enrolments this year from several countries, including India and China.”
In another instance, a student whom we shall call “B” says “Indian Students who drive Taxis have a dark future as there are two sets of rules. One for Indian Drivers and the other one for English Drivers”.
“B” stated that if any driver goes to management with a problem, they don’t respect the Indian driver and are not interested in the problem at all. Instead of this, if an English Driver has the exact problem, he is responded to in one day and the problem resolved”. Adding, “With the Indian driver, and the same problem, they tell him to carry on with his work and threaten to cancel his Taxi Licence if he persists with his claim.”
These are just a couple of examples faced by Indian students who work their legally stated hours to earn extra income while in Australia.
In all instance, the usual threat is that some form of punishment will be meted out if Indian students who demand equality and fairness which is given out to non-Indians, and if they persist in requesting equality dire consequences by way of income or deportation is used to silence them.
In the recent case of the Indian businessman who was being harassed by a Senior Manager of Fair Trading in a cloak and dagger mission and who vowed to “close the Indian Business down,” correspondence has been received from the same Manager about whom the complaint was made against for bias. He responded to the complaint himself stating that he would continue to act “personally” in the matter and the businessman received the letter which was duly signed by the same Manager against whom the complaint had been made (not from his senior to whom the charges has been forwarded) and which clearly and categorically declined that the biased Manager would stand aside and, naturally, the matter will proceed with his bias. He continues to deal with the matter personally inspite of requests for non-bias investigation. So much for “Fair” Trading when it comes to an Indian.
This clearly adds to the problems faced by Indians where, in a case involving a non-Indian, would automatically have had this person removed and fairness introduced. However, as stated in this series of articles, the rules are different when it involves Indians – whether they be students or otherwise.
Contrary to Australian Leaders who addressed the Indian Government about fairness and equality, the above clearly shows two sets of racist rules in Australia – One for Indians and one for the non-Indians. Remember, when we speak about Indians, we are also talking about the indigenous people of Australia – the Aborigines – who suffer the same fate.