Justice at last O

n the same day as The Times of India and other Indian media screamed headlines of yet another attack on an Indian student in Australia, there was barely, if any, coverage of Judge Pamela Jenkins sentencing an attacker Zakarie Hussein, to four and a half years in jail with a minimum parole period of 2 years. Hussein was standing trial for assaulting Indian student Sukhraj Singh at a convenience store on December 1, 2008.

This is probably the first case of a successful prosecution of an attack against an Indian student which has emerged in the past few months.

The Indian Australian community, both the students and the elders, need to acknowledge and accept the merits of the system and use it to their advantage. The judicial system in India is clogged and often bogged down. Recently, there have been attempts made in India to fast track certain processes; however the reality is that it takes time for the system to go through its process and for justice to be done. The presumption of innocence until a person is found guilty, is at the base of both Indian and Australian legal process. The reality however, is that the legal process moves a lot quicker here, as has been evidenced

By PAWAN LUTHRA

in the Singh case. The judge in this case noted that the victim presented no threat to the attacker and was attacked for the sheer thrill of it. She also pointed that short of becoming prisoners in their homes, there is little potential victims can do to prevent such attacks. In this, one does tend to disagree with her. To ensure that these attacks become an unpleasant memory of a time past, victims need to step forward bravely. They need to pursue their case within the legal system and ensure that justice is done. Often the victims do not come forward, concerned about the effect this can have on their potential residency application or the time they will need to spend at police stations or court rooms recounting their incidents. Victims need to be assured that they will be supported on all these issues. The various Indian student associations and other community organisations need to counsel their members that it is in everyone’s best interest that they allow the full judicial process to take place. As more reports of successful prosecution emerge, not only will it deter potential attackers, but will instill confidence in the community at large that the police and the legal system will assist them in their adopted country.

At the same time, students need to understand the government systems are different in Australia as compared to India. Basic issues like tax returns have rules which need to be followed strictly in Australia, while in India, there is still a considerable gap in these areas. Australia’s “matching” system can pick up discrepancies. Driving and public behavior are also areas which need to conform to the standards of the host country. Mutual respect is important; this leads to confidence in each other, and overall, a more tolerant society.