A spate of violent attacks on Indians in Australia is straining bilateral relations and costing Australian universities lucrative foreign student revenue. There is sharp debate, however, about whether racism is at the root of the problem.
Some Indian officials and media have been quick to blame racism for the highly publicized beatings, robberies and murders, mostly in Melbourne...Australia, which regards itself as a multicultural success story, has staunchly defended its reputation for welcoming foreigners - including students whose tuition fees are worth 12 billion Australian dollars ($11 billion) a year to a burgeoning export industry in education.
Discerning the truth, amid the back and forth, has proven difficult ... factors other than anti-Indian sentiment also put the students at risk.For example, they often stay in inexpensive housing in crime-ridden neighborhoods and work night shifts driving taxis or staffing takeout food restaurants, he said.
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