epilogue

The Australian media recently put blame on the Indian media for drawing more attention than necessary to attacks on Indian citizens in Australia. Well, who will draw attention if not the Indian media? The Australian police, while ruling out racism, recently made a statement saying that an Indian is safer in Australia than in India. Their logic rests on being that homicide numbers in India are substantially higher than those in Australia. A report written by Tim Colebatch in The Age says something in a similar vein with a focus on crime rates in general. The Australian government maintains that people have been victim of urban crimes. Unfortunately, the Australian police have made no arrests.

The facts in Mr Colebatch’s article, while being true, are perhaps hiding a grim reality: The existence of a breed of extremist Australians that don’t like Indians. Here’s how… In over 90% of cases, there have been no reports of any robbery. The Australian government is plain wrong in saying that people have been victims of urban crimes. A good majority of the cases were culpable-homicides with a few unfortunate successes. The Australian government won’t allow a racism angle either citing lack of evidence.

As for the likes of Tim Colebatch, the real question they must be asking is: Are Indians as safe in Australia as the Australians themselves? Colebatch writes, in the year 2007, Australia had 255 murders, 50 man slaughters and 246 culpable homicides. For a population of 20.7 million in 2007, the rate of attacks that led, or could have led to death was 2.66 for 100,000 inhabitants. As of today, a little over 97,000 Indians study in Australia. By the going rates, around 2.66 Indians should have been victims of attacks that have, or could have led to death.

But obviously, real figures are more than substantial to defy homicide and crime-rates that Tim Colebatch talks of. 2009 alone saw 10 severe cases with two Indians succumbing to their injuries. Stupid Australians, especially those that indulge in shoddy journalism like Tim Colebatch may beg to differ, to me, all this is more evidence than necessary to believe that Indian students are being singled out.

Here is how you can stop this menace… If you are in Indian student in Australia, take adequate precautions, travel with people you can trust, avoid unearthly hours. In situations, Indian self-defense of the spicy kind works best. Don’t go out unprepared. If you are an Indian student about to go to Australia, or a friend of someone going there please make sure you read Tim Colebatch’s article and understand that you and/or your friend are on your own. Don’t expect the cops to help you.

If you are a sane Australian citizen, be sure to help and support your Indian friends. Play big brother when necessary. And, if you are the Australian police please let the world know about the results of your investigations before jumping to make fool-hardy and baseless press statements. If you are Tim Colebatch, please make sure you study math and statistics before citing them again.

Update 1: After writing this, another Indian was attacked in Coogee Beach in Sydney. The attacker is out on bail.

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