ID :
31862
Sun, 11/23/2008 - 18:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/31862
The shortlink copeid
Attack on Indians in US:no need to panic, say community
Dharam Shourie
New York, Nov 23 (PTI) Indian-American groups, community
leaders and officials consider murder of five Indian students
and two professionals, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, in less
than a year in the US as "acts of random violence and blotched
robberies" but said there was no need to panic.
In interviews, they said it is always tragic when a
young person is killed in the prime of life but they do not
see any pattern that suggests that students from either India
or Andhra Pradesh are being targeted.
Indian-American leader Sant Singh Chatwal said he sees
no pattern in the killings and hence they are acts of random
crime. "It would be wrong to scare the potential students from
coming to the US by raising the bogey of hate crime."
Chairman of the US India Political Action Committee
Sanjay Puri also discounted reports that Indian students were
being targeted and said these appeared to be random cases of
crime. He also made the point that Indians constitute the
largest proportion of students and as their number increases,
chances of their being victims of such crimes increases.
"Even one death of a young student who has come to study
to make good in life is too many but it would be wrong to
think that there is any bias against them," he said. He agreed
there is need to educate students on safety and said that they
should acquaint themselves with the area in which they are
living.
Such incidents can happen anywhere and should not deter
Indians who want to come to the United States for higher or
specialised studies. While the major incidents get reported,
they agreed that the students could also be victims of
robberies which they never report, other community leaders
say.
India sends the largest number of students followed by
China. Currently, some 80,000 students are studying in various
American universities and as their number rises, there could
be some increase in crimes against them.
The leaders pointed out that incidents are not
concentrated at particular place and have been reported from
different States and universities. That, they argue, shows
that there could not be a coordinated move to target students
of a particular country or State.
The foreigners, one of them said, are always at risk in
any country and need to be careful and students are no
exception.
However, they suggested that the students coming to the
US should be given some sort of orientation course to caution
them and make them aware of basic safety measures they need to
take when selecting accommodation especially off campus.
It would be a good idea, they say, if the students are
made aware of the environment around the universities they are
joining and that could be done either by the consulates here
or the some agencies in India.
Asked why students from Andhra Pradesh had been the
victims, Chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian
Origin (GOPIO) Thomas Abraham as also others said it appears
to be a mere coincidence.
Abraham said the number of students from Andhra Pradesh
is much higher among the Indian students in the country.
Several community leaders said one reason is that the
students from India come here after taking huge loans with the
idea once they are in the United States, they would be able to
pay them back, but they could face difficulties if they are
unable to find part time employment and to save money, they
tend to move to areas which might not very safe.
Abraham, who himself was victims of two robberies in New
York during his student days in 1970s, said that he does not
think that there are any organised attacks as in that case
second generation Indians too would have been targeted.
So far as the issue of students from Andhra being the
victims, he said they constitute a major percentage of the
students in the United States. The State was first to witness
the Information Technology revolution and that saw increase in
the number of students seeking higher education here.
"When foreign students come to the US, irrespective of
the country, they should be stay safely. Around many
universities, there are neighbourhoods that are not safe and
they need to be on the alert when walking in such areas at
hours and while entering or exiting their apartments," he
said.
In this context, President of the Telugu Association in
North America (TANA) Jayaram Komati pointed out that in
earlier days, Indian students used to join only major
universities which were located in urban areas. Now they join
even smaller universities if they are unable to get admission
in major one and then try to migrate a year or two later.
While that is the right strategy, they need to be more
careful if they move to smaller towns.
The association, Komati said, has set up teams to help
students and others from the State and the country.
"We are prepared to give advice and help if someone
seeks.
We are trying to make students aware that they could contact
TANA any time they need any help."
But he firmly rejected that the students from the State
are being targets as, he said, is being made out in some media
reports. Even if Indians were being targeted, the perpetrators
would not know from what State a person comes.
When some unfortunate incident occurs, he says, he gets
calls from the media in the State who ask the same question
and he had repeatedly told them that that is not the case.
The association, he said, also actively helps the
victims and their families. He also agreed that students
coming here should be given some orientation as to what they
could expect.
A leading community leader and senior office bearer of
the Indian American Friendship Council Prasad Thotakura said
he does not see any particular reason of targeting Andhra
students. But, said they have been discussing the issue with
the Indian officials and demanding that justice be done to
perpetrators of the crimes.
He said he is coordinating "Student Safety and
Security Seminars" in the University of North Texas in its
various campuses and inviting local police chiefs, mayors and
university officials to walk the international students
through safety procedures.
A survey of retailers in the leading Indian markets
show that students from Andhra are predominant among those
seeking part time employment. One of them said that he had
always been urging students to take safety very seriously. PTI
DS
RKM
New York, Nov 23 (PTI) Indian-American groups, community
leaders and officials consider murder of five Indian students
and two professionals, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, in less
than a year in the US as "acts of random violence and blotched
robberies" but said there was no need to panic.
In interviews, they said it is always tragic when a
young person is killed in the prime of life but they do not
see any pattern that suggests that students from either India
or Andhra Pradesh are being targeted.
Indian-American leader Sant Singh Chatwal said he sees
no pattern in the killings and hence they are acts of random
crime. "It would be wrong to scare the potential students from
coming to the US by raising the bogey of hate crime."
Chairman of the US India Political Action Committee
Sanjay Puri also discounted reports that Indian students were
being targeted and said these appeared to be random cases of
crime. He also made the point that Indians constitute the
largest proportion of students and as their number increases,
chances of their being victims of such crimes increases.
"Even one death of a young student who has come to study
to make good in life is too many but it would be wrong to
think that there is any bias against them," he said. He agreed
there is need to educate students on safety and said that they
should acquaint themselves with the area in which they are
living.
Such incidents can happen anywhere and should not deter
Indians who want to come to the United States for higher or
specialised studies. While the major incidents get reported,
they agreed that the students could also be victims of
robberies which they never report, other community leaders
say.
India sends the largest number of students followed by
China. Currently, some 80,000 students are studying in various
American universities and as their number rises, there could
be some increase in crimes against them.
The leaders pointed out that incidents are not
concentrated at particular place and have been reported from
different States and universities. That, they argue, shows
that there could not be a coordinated move to target students
of a particular country or State.
The foreigners, one of them said, are always at risk in
any country and need to be careful and students are no
exception.
However, they suggested that the students coming to the
US should be given some sort of orientation course to caution
them and make them aware of basic safety measures they need to
take when selecting accommodation especially off campus.
It would be a good idea, they say, if the students are
made aware of the environment around the universities they are
joining and that could be done either by the consulates here
or the some agencies in India.
Asked why students from Andhra Pradesh had been the
victims, Chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian
Origin (GOPIO) Thomas Abraham as also others said it appears
to be a mere coincidence.
Abraham said the number of students from Andhra Pradesh
is much higher among the Indian students in the country.
Several community leaders said one reason is that the
students from India come here after taking huge loans with the
idea once they are in the United States, they would be able to
pay them back, but they could face difficulties if they are
unable to find part time employment and to save money, they
tend to move to areas which might not very safe.
Abraham, who himself was victims of two robberies in New
York during his student days in 1970s, said that he does not
think that there are any organised attacks as in that case
second generation Indians too would have been targeted.
So far as the issue of students from Andhra being the
victims, he said they constitute a major percentage of the
students in the United States. The State was first to witness
the Information Technology revolution and that saw increase in
the number of students seeking higher education here.
"When foreign students come to the US, irrespective of
the country, they should be stay safely. Around many
universities, there are neighbourhoods that are not safe and
they need to be on the alert when walking in such areas at
hours and while entering or exiting their apartments," he
said.
In this context, President of the Telugu Association in
North America (TANA) Jayaram Komati pointed out that in
earlier days, Indian students used to join only major
universities which were located in urban areas. Now they join
even smaller universities if they are unable to get admission
in major one and then try to migrate a year or two later.
While that is the right strategy, they need to be more
careful if they move to smaller towns.
The association, Komati said, has set up teams to help
students and others from the State and the country.
"We are prepared to give advice and help if someone
seeks.
We are trying to make students aware that they could contact
TANA any time they need any help."
But he firmly rejected that the students from the State
are being targets as, he said, is being made out in some media
reports. Even if Indians were being targeted, the perpetrators
would not know from what State a person comes.
When some unfortunate incident occurs, he says, he gets
calls from the media in the State who ask the same question
and he had repeatedly told them that that is not the case.
The association, he said, also actively helps the
victims and their families. He also agreed that students
coming here should be given some orientation as to what they
could expect.
A leading community leader and senior office bearer of
the Indian American Friendship Council Prasad Thotakura said
he does not see any particular reason of targeting Andhra
students. But, said they have been discussing the issue with
the Indian officials and demanding that justice be done to
perpetrators of the crimes.
He said he is coordinating "Student Safety and
Security Seminars" in the University of North Texas in its
various campuses and inviting local police chiefs, mayors and
university officials to walk the international students
through safety procedures.
A survey of retailers in the leading Indian markets
show that students from Andhra are predominant among those
seeking part time employment. One of them said that he had
always been urging students to take safety very seriously. PTI
DS
RKM
