ID :
65182
Wed, 06/10/2009 - 21:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/65182
The shortlink copeid
Rudd warns Indian students against vigilante action
Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Jun 10 (PTI) Australian Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd Wednesday warned Indian students against "vigilante
action" as the agitated Indian community held a second night
of protests in Sydney against racial violence against them.
Promising "hardline measures" against racial attacks,
Rudd said, "it's unacceptable for anyone to commit an act of
violence against any student of any ethnicity anywhere in
Australia."
He said while violence in all Australian cities was "a
regrettable part" of urban life, vigilante action was equally
unwelcome.
"I fully support hardline measures in response to any
act of violence towards any student anywhere - Indian or
otherwise," he said.
"And furthermore we also need to render as completely
unacceptable people taking the law into their own hands.
Everyone needs just to draw some breath on this and we need to
see a greater atmosphere of general calm," he said.
Rudd's remarks came close on the heels of acts of
retaliation by the Indians following racial attacks on them.
Indian students have also formed groups to protect
students from racial attacks.
Last night, over 70 Indian men gathered in Harris Park
in Sydney's west after rumours of a man being killed in an
attack and assault on an Indian cleaner in Warwick Farm.
Police arrested two men during the protest. One was
charged with carrying a weapon, a metal pole, while the other
was released without charge, a police statement said.
Indian students have organised rallies in Sydney and
Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities, in recent weeks
demanding that authorities prevent racial attacks on them.
Rudd said students should report any acts of violence
against them to police and if their complaints were not
followed through, they should go to their local members of
parliament.
"This is one of the safest countries in the world for
international students," the Australian prime minister said.
When asked whether the student protests signalled
future racial tension in Australia, he said the nation had an
inherent culture of tolerance.
"With each new wave of immigrants to this country
there's been debates and concerns and they've all faded and
they've have all been resolved," he said.
Meanwhile, Victorian Premier John Brumby and state
police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland, who visited the
troubled western area of Melbourne, also reassured the Indian
students of their safety and security.
Overland, who admitted that some of the attacks on
Indian students were "clearly racist in motivation," announced
a crackdown on crime at trouble-spot train stations after a
spate of violent attacks.
"Some of the attacks were clearly racist in motivation
and that violence is unacceptable and racism is unacceptable
in any form," Overland said, adding "We want to make it clear
that everyone in Victoria is safe (and) protected as best we
can."
Overland and Premier John Brumby visited St Albans
railway station in Melbourne's west to announce a
high-visibility operation targeting Sunshine, St Albans,
Thomastown, Clayton and Dandenong.
"Today's announcement is about saying whether you live
here or whether you are a visitor here and studying here you
will be safe," Brumby said. Mounted police, dog squads and
helicopter patrols will be used to crack down on crime.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called on
Indian students to be calm, echoing the calls from Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Indian counterpart S M
Krishna.
The Australian Government was working with the Indian
High Commission and state police forces to bring the attackers
to justice, Smith told ABC Television.
"It may well take some time to bring these matters
entirely under control but we're working very assiduously and
closely with the Indian Government on it," he said, adding "I
simply echo the comments of my Indian counterpart- the time
has now come for restraint, the time has come for calm."
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said
that the governments will continue to work with Indian
students to make sure they feel safe, but the community should
not lose sight of the fact Australia is a welcoming nation.
PTI
Melbourne, Jun 10 (PTI) Australian Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd Wednesday warned Indian students against "vigilante
action" as the agitated Indian community held a second night
of protests in Sydney against racial violence against them.
Promising "hardline measures" against racial attacks,
Rudd said, "it's unacceptable for anyone to commit an act of
violence against any student of any ethnicity anywhere in
Australia."
He said while violence in all Australian cities was "a
regrettable part" of urban life, vigilante action was equally
unwelcome.
"I fully support hardline measures in response to any
act of violence towards any student anywhere - Indian or
otherwise," he said.
"And furthermore we also need to render as completely
unacceptable people taking the law into their own hands.
Everyone needs just to draw some breath on this and we need to
see a greater atmosphere of general calm," he said.
Rudd's remarks came close on the heels of acts of
retaliation by the Indians following racial attacks on them.
Indian students have also formed groups to protect
students from racial attacks.
Last night, over 70 Indian men gathered in Harris Park
in Sydney's west after rumours of a man being killed in an
attack and assault on an Indian cleaner in Warwick Farm.
Police arrested two men during the protest. One was
charged with carrying a weapon, a metal pole, while the other
was released without charge, a police statement said.
Indian students have organised rallies in Sydney and
Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities, in recent weeks
demanding that authorities prevent racial attacks on them.
Rudd said students should report any acts of violence
against them to police and if their complaints were not
followed through, they should go to their local members of
parliament.
"This is one of the safest countries in the world for
international students," the Australian prime minister said.
When asked whether the student protests signalled
future racial tension in Australia, he said the nation had an
inherent culture of tolerance.
"With each new wave of immigrants to this country
there's been debates and concerns and they've all faded and
they've have all been resolved," he said.
Meanwhile, Victorian Premier John Brumby and state
police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland, who visited the
troubled western area of Melbourne, also reassured the Indian
students of their safety and security.
Overland, who admitted that some of the attacks on
Indian students were "clearly racist in motivation," announced
a crackdown on crime at trouble-spot train stations after a
spate of violent attacks.
"Some of the attacks were clearly racist in motivation
and that violence is unacceptable and racism is unacceptable
in any form," Overland said, adding "We want to make it clear
that everyone in Victoria is safe (and) protected as best we
can."
Overland and Premier John Brumby visited St Albans
railway station in Melbourne's west to announce a
high-visibility operation targeting Sunshine, St Albans,
Thomastown, Clayton and Dandenong.
"Today's announcement is about saying whether you live
here or whether you are a visitor here and studying here you
will be safe," Brumby said. Mounted police, dog squads and
helicopter patrols will be used to crack down on crime.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called on
Indian students to be calm, echoing the calls from Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Indian counterpart S M
Krishna.
The Australian Government was working with the Indian
High Commission and state police forces to bring the attackers
to justice, Smith told ABC Television.
"It may well take some time to bring these matters
entirely under control but we're working very assiduously and
closely with the Indian Government on it," he said, adding "I
simply echo the comments of my Indian counterpart- the time
has now come for restraint, the time has come for calm."
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said
that the governments will continue to work with Indian
students to make sure they feel safe, but the community should
not lose sight of the fact Australia is a welcoming nation.
PTI
