Editorial: Aussie shame

By M H Ahssan

The string of deadly attacks on Indian students in Australia are condemnable and all the more disturbing given the reported racial motivations. New Delhi must, in no uncertain measure, make it clear to the Australians that the safety of Indian workers, professionals and students living in that country is the sole responsibility of the government there. There is, in fact, a need to go beyond ritualistic condemnations and the summoning of envoys of concerned countries where such incidents occur.

India must proactively seek to ensure the safety and security of its citizens abroad by both exerting official pressure and also making the Indian embassies and consulates abroad more actively involved in protecting their lives and rights. Some Australian officials have opined that the attacks were not racial, but targeted people seen to be vulnerable. This is wholly disingenuous, not only given that Australia has had a problem with racial issues, but because racism, as a phenomenon, is almost always likely to be manifested in violent form on those individuals and sections seen to be vulnerable — such as immigrants and people of different skin colour or ethnicity.

Indeed, racism isn’t the preserve of the west. It is a process whereby an individual gradually absorbs certain latent or overt exclusionary tendencies in a society and channels it against the ‘others’. Indians, for example, are quite capable of harbouring hostile ethnic/racial feelings as well.

While many western nations with a long history of racism have institutionalised practices and implemented stringent laws against it, racism remains a problem. And particularly in times of economic adversity, issues like immigration tend to fan base exclusionary sentiments. Which, of course, is a bit ironic given that these nations need immigrants to, say, carry out low-paid menial tasks as well as provide technology-intensive services.

Or even the fact that foreign students, including Indians, are a major source of earnings for their universities. In this instance, Australia, if it has to remain an increasingly attractive destination for Indian professionals and students, must take concrete steps to ensure such attacks are curbed and the law enforcement agencies treat these incidents with due seriousness.