VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIAN STUDENTS: A PERSISTENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000014

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM IN AS
SUBJECT: VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIAN STUDENTS: A PERSISTENT
IRRITANT

REF: A. CANBERRA 100

B. CANBERRA 17

C. MELBOURNE 114

D. 09 MELBOURNE 89

E. 09 MELBOURNE 65

Classified By: Justin Kolbeck, Pol/Econ Officer for reasons 1.4(b,d)

Summary
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1. (C/NF) Nerves are still raw in Melbourne over an ongoing
series of attacks on Indian students. What was initially a
student issue is now causing concern for Melbourne's better
established Indian communities. Recent changes to
Australia's immigration policy have not, however, sparked
major protests among the Indian community here. While
student violence has evolved into a bilateral irritant
between Australia and India and may become an election issue
later this year, Australia remains committed to expanding
relations with India. End Summary.

Tensions Persist
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2. (C/NF) Despite efforts at both the federal and state
level, fallout continues from a series of attacks on Indians
in Melbourne (reftels). Indian Consul General to Melbourne
Anita Nayar told Consul General Thurston on February 11 that
violence against Indian students has become a bilateral issue
for India and Australia. According to Nayar, India's High
Commissioner in Canberra is spending a growing proportion of
her time managing this issue and frequently travels to
Melbourne to meet with angry Indian students, the broader
Indian communities and Victorian government officials. Nayar
considers the Victorian government's response to student
violence to be inadequate, saying the government is "in
denial" and has responded with too little effort, too late.


3. (C/NF) Former Australian Consul General to Mumbai and
prominent Melbourne businessman, Shabbir Wahid notes that
concern over this issue is beginning to reach Melbourne's
older and better established Indian communities, with some
saying that they are reevaluating their long term plans to
stay in Australia. Consul General Nayar echoed these
comments, saying that she now "looks over (her) shoulder"
while walking around Melbourne's central business district.
Despite threats to leave Australia, however, Indian students
and families have not yet begun to do so.

Muted Response to Immigration Policy Changes
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4. (C/NF) Responses to Australia's February 8 changes to its
immigration policy (Ref. A) among Melbourne's Indian
communities have been muted. Nayar suggested, however, that
a strong response in both the local and Indian press will be
forthcoming as soon as they find a "hook." She conceded that
a proviso permitting Indians to remain in Australia for 18
months in order to find other forms of employment leading to
permanent residency blunted a louder outcry.


5. (C/NF) The "business of education" is an important
component of the Australian economy. The international
education sector is Australia's third largest export, behind
only iron ore and coal and is the state of Victoria's single
largest export. Monash University's Dr. Bob Birrell
(Australia's preeminent scholar on population and migration
studies) told post that he expects the February 8 immigration
policy changes will lead to a significant reduction in the
number of vocational facilities in Victoria with a
commensurate decline in revenues in both the state and
federal economies. Most locals agree, however, that a
culling of "dodgy" vocational schools -- such as commercial
cooking schools without kitchens - is long overdue.

Press Wranglers Wanted
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6. (C/NF) Although there is a wide spectrum of opinions on
whether racism is fueling the recent spate of violence
against Indian students in Melbourne, most observers agree

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that the Victorian government has completely failed to manage
the press on this issue. Consul General Nayar told us that a
visiting contingent of Indian journalists had already written
their headline story "why they hate us" even before landing
in Melbourne for a week-long study tour. She went on to say
that the Indian press is still enamored with this story and
has paid interviewees well for their stories of woe. There
are some concerns that sensationalist press accounts are
exacerbating what would have otherwise been a very manageable
issue. In addition, a series of unfortunate public comments
including Victoria Police Chief Simon Overlander's statement
that "the streets of Melbourne are safer than those in India"
have only added to the problem.

Why Melbourne?
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7. (C/NF) Local observers are split on why the issue of
student violence has become Melbourne's albatross. In a
February 9 speech to federal Parliament, Foreign Minister
Stephen Smith pointed out that half of visiting Indian
students study in the state of Victoria, many of whom "find
themselves in a higher risk profile for crime. Many work
late night shifts in occupations like taxi-driving where
assaults can be more likely. Many live in higher crime
neighborhoods, often commuting to and from there late at
night." (Note: The full text of FM Smith's speech which also
details expansion of relations with India can be found at
http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/speeches/20 10/100209
**LINK BREAK**
australia india.html End note.) While some accept this
explanation, Nayar also blamed Victoria's legal system where
a victim of a crime must present evidence effectively
"proving" that a crime has taken place where other Australian
states allow for prima facie investigation of a potential
crime.


8. (C/NF) Dr. Birrell believes that racism has indeed fueled
the student violence issue. A lack of affordable housing has
pushed Indian students to farther flung suburbs with high
concentrations of immigrants from Lebanon, Somalia and
Vietnam. While solid data is hard to come by, Birrell points
out that the perpetrators of many of these crimes are not
white Australians, but other first or second generation
immigrants from these "tougher" countries. Nayar pointed out
that earlier attacks had been perpetrated by recently arrived
immigrants, but more recent attacks have been carried out by
"white Australians."

Comment
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9. (C/NF) Although student violence is unlikely to derail
Australian efforts to expand relations with India, it has
become an irritant to a relationship which Foreign Minister
Smith compared to a 20/20 cricket match: "short bursts of
enthusiasm followed by lengthy periods of inactivity."
Despite a recent burst of enthusiastic effort by the
Victorian government, many of our contacts believe this issue
is likely to drag on for at least several more months and
could potentially grow into an election issue for both the
federal and Victorian governments later this year.

THURSTON