In the wake of recent reports of incidents against Indians particularly students residing in Australia, I sought information from our Ministry of External Affairs as well as from the Goan Associations in that country.
The
main concentration of Indian students is in Melbourne and Sydney. Many
fast food restaurants, convenience stores and super markets have
engaged Indian students mainly because they have got language skills
and a good business acumen. The taxi drivers in the city are also
mainly Indian students.Often students work in late night shifts (after
college hours) and are exposed to the late night dangers of big
cities.The Indian taxi drivers are a prime target of attack as they
drive the late shifts and they are more likely to meet riff raff, drug
addicts and drunkards as potential customers.The Australian Government
and the ever increasing number of money making immigration agencies and
recruiting colleges do not appear to have given much thought to the
welfare of foreign students in that country.Their focus has been on the
monetary benefits amounting to about 15 billion Australian dollars
which they get by having Indian and other foreign students. There are,
however, exceptions such as the authorities in Sydney. The police, community leaders and the Indian Consul General in Sydney
have done a commendable job of communication and constructive dialogue
and diplomacy to calm down and smoothen the situation for the better.
Whilst Australia is by and large free of crime, there are, as everywhere else,criminal elements specially in urban areas. In Melbourne, particularly, casual violence on the street is on the increase.
There
are no reports of any Goans having been physically attacked in recent
times.This is, however, no reason for complacency.The Goan associations
have done a commendable work in support of Goan students.For instance,
the Goan Associations in Sydney and Melbourne provide first year of
membership free to Goan students and entry to events is subsidized.
This induces Goan students to network with fellow Goans and seek
guidance and support whenever required. Several Goans who migrated to Australia recently have in different ways received support from Goan associations.Goan students should contact the Goan Associations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth
on arrival. They should also contact through e-mail or a letter, the
Indian High Commission or Indian Consulate and provide details such as
their name and address, the name of the university or other educational
institution where they are studying, details of the course they are
joining and the duration of their intended stay in Australia.
The Ministry of External Affairs has issued detailed guidelines for Indian students wishing to study in Australia. The guidelines are enclosed herewith at Annexure -A. (They are also available at www.hcindia-au.org.) The Ministry has also issued an Advisory for Indian students studying in Australia, Annexure - B (Also available at www.netindia.in.)
Some
cases of great hardship suffered by Goan workers abroad have come to my
notice. Sometimes these workers are cheated by recruiting agents or
denied wages by unscrupulous employers and then get stranded or land in
jail. There are also cases of Goan workers who meet with serious
accidents and have to be rushed back to India for medical treatment. In some other cases the bodies of those who die abroad cannot be brought back to India when the sponsors refuse to meet the expenses of the transportation of the body.
To provide for deserving cases of great distress as mentioned above, it has been decided to create an Emergency Repatriation Fund to meet the expenses when it is proved that the party or the next of kin are not in a financial position to do so.
This
Office had last November held an essay competition for students who are
doing their undergraduate or postgraduate studies.The subject was Socio
Economic Impact of Goan Migration.A panel of judges was appointed to
evaluate the results.The panel consisted of Prof. M.S.Kamat as Chairman
and Prof. Bhaskar Naik and Prof Edward D'Lima as members.I now request
Prof.M.S.Kamat to submit his report on the essay competition and the
results.
(ends)