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Now, houses of assaulted Indians burgled in Australia

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Agencies

Posted: May 28, 2009 at 1242 hrs IST

Melbourne The houses of four Indian students, who were brutally assaulted by a group of teenagers in Australia have been burgled, even as one of them battles for life at a hospital, an organisation of Indian students in Australia has alleged.

The students, who were bashed up in an apparent racial attack, were away to the hospital when unknown intruders broke into their houses and stole everything available.

"They have no clothes or anything left in the house and the students are really feeling insecure and unsafe," said Gautam Gupta, President of the Federation of Indian student Association (FISA).

"They believe it was done by members of the same group who had assaulted them during the weekend," he said. There was, however, no official confirmation of the burglary so far.

The fresh attack comes despite the Indian government pressing Australia to tackle security issues of its students in the wake of growing assaults on them.

Meanwhile, the condition of the 25-year old Shravan Kumar, who is fighting for life in a hospital, remains critical and doctors are "not very optimistic" about chances of his recovery.

Representatives of FISA, along with those of Australia's apex student body National Union of Students (NUS) will meet Indian High Commission Sujatha Singh on the issue on Thursday and present a list of their demands.

NUS General Secretary David Wilkins expressed his organisation's concern at the spate of attacks on Indians.

"NUS will be supporting FISA's ongoing campaign to protect the safety of all international students at a time when racist attacks have been increasing in Melbourne," NUS General Secretary David Wilkins said.

"At a time when there is a vacuum of representation for international students, NUS will be working along with FISA to integrate, empower and represent Indian and all international students," he said.

Gupta said the meeting will focus on presenting a list of recommendations to High Commissioner that will include the demand that Indian government summon Australian High Commissioner in New Delhi for an explanation on the issue.

It will also press the Indian authorities to issue a travel warning declaring Australia unsafe for students if the matter persists, apart from raising issues of racist attacks on Indians across the world with special mention to Australia and a compensation package for them.

"Indian consulates must support an independent body like FISA for representation of issues facing Indian citizens," he said in the statement.

FISA also asked Australia to ensure that anybody who is physically assaulted be given complete medical cover at par with Australian citizens and institutes be forced to return full tuition fee if the student becomes unable to complete the degree due to an assault.

"Government must also refund complete living costs and cost of airfares to the victims and at least two per cent of Indians should be employed as uniformed police force in Victoria to ensure equality and reduction in racist overtones in Police response," FISA said.

It said Australia must also run a media campaign detailing contributions of overseas students to Australian economy and emphasise on how their presence has benefited Australia and created jobs here.

It further suggested offenders to be tried under Hate Crimes Act and a dedicated India desk be established with the Premier's Office to oversee implementation of these recommendations.

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Yeah by Andy on 29 May 2009

Yeah Ram Nath Babu, The Indian government should start handing out money hand over fist to address this issue. Talk some sense.

australia by shubha on 28 May 2009

@tamilmani...I think ur a sinhalese guy who want fish in the unclear water..beware of persons like this..Im a tamilian..who is as equally sympathetic for what is being happened to tamilians in Lanka..but who made all this happen..it is with chinese and pakistani support all this happening...we could have solved this in Rajeev Gandhi's regime, but it was the LTTE brainwashed by some foreign agencies and made it a disaster...at least they could have participated in the elections and elected renil as president.......so please dont tell these stupid things again

Use precautionary measures in the meantime by Arun on 28 May 2009

It is advisable to all the indian population living in OZ country to be cautious till this time of hate violence subsides. The Oz's should make heavy punishments for such offences against innocent people. In the meantime indian students should use self defensive measures with pepper spray and other things to distract the thugs. Also do not show off wealth and curtail nocturnal activities giving them less chances to attack. Take photos and videos when possible and display to the whole world these acts. Their attitudes and mentality needs to be changed. When they are taught they will learn. So, let's work towards it. Let's not be like them but influence them to change for the better.

HELP US by Shubha on 28 May 2009

In Australia, there is no use to call 000(emergency service/police) if you are Indian.If you call telling ur emergency, they will know by your accent that you are Indian.The most earliest police arrival would be 30min to1hour.After living here for 2 years, I have now some respect for Indian police.They are far better than aussie police.In most of the cases involving Indian student are victims of robbery, they will never get convicts and if they do so by chance.Then those convicts wont get prosecuted.There is a police station here in NSW named 'Warilla'. In malayalam 'warilla means never come', it is true for the arrival of police from here.They have been telling about 'wrong place- wrong time' for any incidents.This is a country in which if you are Indian, you cant walk alone after 8pm in weekdays and after 5pm in Fridays, Saturdays,

we love australia by ravi on 28 May 2009

Jai go Australia, pls take this kind of actions in very near future.this will teach a lesson for indians who support srilankans govt for killing tamilians.

we hate by tamilmani on 28 May 2009

We appriciate australians, we as a tamilian have great respect for australians. Indians(other than tamilnadu people in india) has no right to take protestion against these attack becasue these bloody non tamil indians are simply watching and supporting at nearby srilanka where lot innocent tamils are killed daily.Dear australians pls expel all indians(other than tamilians) from your land, this will teach a lesson for whole indians.they should feel the pain which is already under go by our blood related tamils in srilanka

stupid comment by Hulk on 31 May 2009

What a dumb comment! Do you think that a racist white guy is going to ask the nationality of a brown person before he stabs them? You see this as a crime only against indians and not against other south asians because indians are a larger community in australia.

stupid comment by hulk on 31 May 2009

That is the stupidest comment i have ever read. Don't you see that this a crime against all south asians/ brown people, which includes sri lankans, pakistanis, etc. Indians are a larger group than sri lankans, that is why they are most often targeted than other south asians. Ask yourself one question, Do you honestly believe that a racist white guy is going to ask the nationality of a brown person before he stabs them? All he sees is a brown person, not an indian, srilankan or any person of tamil origin.

Dummest remark by Rahul on 02 Jun 2009

tamilmani yours is the dummest remark I have ever come across

Words of wisdom? from Indian in Aussie land by Dr. Paras Deo on 28 May 2009

To Sharad's posting: Your postings refer to communal violence in India and not racism! Pls get your vocabs right. Even the Aussie police had to admit that this incident involved huge elements of racism....and they didn't do a thing.

Words of Wisdom from an Indian in Australia by Sharad on 28 May 2009

I would like to remind the readers that there is more racism in India than anywhere else. Most of us would remember the anti sikh riots in 1984, over 3,000 sikhs slaughtered and the cases are still pending with no convictions, Gujrat , etc the list is endless. So should I consider India to be a country of uncivilised people who not only massacre their own but point fingers at others abroad who welcome them into their own country and offer them opportunities for a better life.Also, people need to try to understand that these incidents which are very unfortunate, happen in every part of the world. Some places its more than the others, like India where there is little respact for law and the upper classes who are above the law.An investigation is warranted in this incident to find out why this horrendous act was commited and why these students were targeted, first assaulted then burgled, after all most are only beaten up. Why was it so personal to the offenders, just think..

Bond of Hate by Aatri on 28 May 2009

Time and again Indians have been subjected to racism in foreign countries. The question is definitely not why should Indians go and study abroad? The question should be why Indians cannot feel safe anywhere in the world. Back in India we worship our guests coming from foreign countries. Do we deserve such treatment in return of all the affection and care we show to foreigners who visit India?

Bashed and now Robbed by Dr. Paras Deo on 28 May 2009

This fits into the postings, that many including me, have made. The Aussies police have done nothing to polish their image.Their attitude is no better that the idiots who bashed these boys. The posting of the last few days about the Aussie mentality goes on to prove that Aussie deserve no sympathy when they claim not to be racists.What are universties doing against this? Why haven't they till now issued any press statements against such attacks? Or do they agree with the Aussie police who have "suggested" that the students move out to another living area? We should use the internet and blogs to expose this Aussie shabby mentality. Keep writing folks ...keep writing . The internet is mightier than the racist fists.

geener pastures by kay on 28 May 2009

why do indian students want to go there at all.there are enough colleges in India.It is bec indians are always searching for greener pastures.cant be satisfied with what is available in their own country.Better to live the desi nightmare than end up like this.I feel sorry for their parents.

Racism by Mort on 28 May 2009

Most of the Australians speak with racial overtones when speaking to call centre (name withheld) employees in India. John Buchanan and Co. also behave in a racial way with the Indian players , prefering foreign players to Indian players.

Rogue country by Ram Nath Babu on 28 May 2009

Australia is a country of rouges. Misbehaviour and bad manners are in their blood. The Indian government should take immediate action and ensure that students are repaid full amount they spent for the courses by the insitutes concerned.It would be better for those students to come back India and pursue their studies here, for which too, Indian government should take immediate action, to facilitate their further study.Let us see, the current government which is voted to power on good governance, will do something to the Indian students in Australia.

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