christchurch, racist attacks?

rodders · Valued Member Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 134

does anyone who knows the city have any thoughts about this?

Random racist attacks are gaining Christchurch a name as a dangerous place to be Asian, says a bashed Vietnamese student, Chi Phung.

The criticism comes on the eve of the police appointing an Asian liaison officer to link into ethnic communities and prevent members falling prey to crime.

Phung, who came from Ho Chi Minh City six years ago, said she had noticed more unprovoked attacks against Asians in the last two years.

Ten days ago, a 20-year-old Asian student was bashed with a rock in an apparent sexually-motivated attack, when she was walking home through an Addington industrial area in the early hours.

Her attacker is still on the loose and police fear he could strike again.

Phung was bashed in the chest while walking with a friend along Colombo Street and knows of at least three other violent acts against young Asians.

"Christchurch is slowly but surely becoming renowned as an extremely unsafe place to be Asian," said Phung.

"There is a culture of racism, you just feel it in the city. It makes you feel like you are no-one and you are just here because of your money, basically."

Residents were either unaware of the gratuitous violence targeted at Asians or turned a blind eye, she said.

Phung, a 23-year-old Canterbury University student, was lured to the city for its educational prospects and promotional photos of cherry trees in full bloom.

But her illusion of it being a peaceful place to study was shattered when she was struck by a man while walking with a friend down busy Colombo Street near the Bus Exchange last year.

"He punched me under my breast so hard that I fell down and I cried for about 20 minutes," she said.

"I don't know why I was hit like that and it was very violent."

Nobody in the crowd stopped to help or to check on her condition, said Phung.

Neither did she report the incident to police.

Phung said the man fled into the crowd so quickly, she did not get a good description of him.

A few weeks ago, while travelling on a Hornby bus, Phung witnessed a man "nutting off", who then struck a nearby Asian schoolboy.

"Everybody ignored it. It took me back to my own attack. It was random and what makes me angry is that you get attacked because of your Asian features," she said.

About a fortnight ago four Asian girls outside the Bus Exchange were harassed by two New Zealand girls after they refused to hand over their bus money. Two of the Asian girls were punched as a result.

Security officers were on hand, and the police were called.

Phung knows of another incident where a young Asian woman walking along Moorhouse Avenue was hit in the face by a water bomb hurtled from a passing car.

Phung said she took the unusual step of speaking out herself, and being photographed, to make people aware of the violence against Asians and that ignoring it was unacceptable.

"We are here legally and have paid large sums of money to this city and its educational institutions, so why are we being treated in this way?"

Phung and her younger sister, who has followed her to Christchurch, have also been subjected to verbal abuse.

"We can cope with the verbal abuse, but not the random physical violence," she said.

Phung would like to see more advocacy for Asian students and an agency to keep track of violent attacks.

Inspector Derek Erasmus said police were in the process of appointing a liaison officer, mooted three years ago. The panel considering job applicants includes members of the Asian community.

The job involves trying to increase Asian police recruits, advising language students on crime prevention and law, and encouraging Asians to report crimes.

"That's a considerable issue," said Erasmus, the acting policing development manager.

"There is a distrust of police, probably from their original countries, and we are trying to ensure that they know that we are here if they need to report something."

Erasmus said victims like Phung should report attacks, even without a description of the offender.

Inner-city crime cameras may have recorded the attack or police may know of other incidents in the area.

"Even at the end of the day if we don't get an offender, it still means we know that it is an area to concentrate on," Erasmus said.

Adrienne Ross, a friend of Phung's and youth worker with The Peace Foundation, is aware of assaults against foreign students.

"For me it is an example of the institutionalised racism or the monoculture operating here in Christchurch," she said.

"I think many people in Christchurch have an awareness that this is going on for Asian people and might be turning a blind eye. Maybe a lot of it is a general backlash against immigrants to this country and a lack of knowledge."

Phung will pursue her honours degree in sociology. She will return home with a foreign degree that promises to fast-track her career, but mixed memories of her time in Christchurch.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2864509a7694,00.html

Robert · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 8:16 pm Post subject:

Interesting.

I shall for what it is worth add my own observations and hope that others will feel free to do likewise on this very important issue...

Sadly, I have met a couple of asian workers who feel they are badly discriminated against here, finding work hard to get. Both spoke poor English though. I have also heard similar comment from several other people of diverse racial groups including mogol and caucasian (khazakstan)

Although most distrust is aimed at far eastern asians, who make up the largest racial minority here, there has been a minor outcry lately against plans for a moslem school and the public funding of prayer rooms in a university facility.

As far as I can see, kiwis like people who are like them. This does not seem to be really a racial issue, more one of culture. The more 'alien' your culture, the less popular you will be and, unlike in the UK, there is greater willingness to express it in the media.
Over here you are expected to 'do as the Romans' and to speak English well. Nails that stick up will get hammered down and few people seem interested in the equalitarian calisthenics that go on in the UK.

As for violence though, I have never seen anyone assaulted nor heard abuse thrown, whilst such was common in the UK. On the whole it is my impression that people here might grumble a lot and certainly appear to discriminate but assaults are rare (and hence make the news even when relatively minor)

John Miller · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:00 am Post subject:

robernelli · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:01 am Post subject:

Nothing against sensible immigration debates but it often tends to end up singling out certain ethnic groups, usually the majority. Though there may be a lage number od (far East) asians coming over, what about the even larger numbers of whinging poms Mr. Green

I suppose it always comes down to who looks and acts different. Its a worring trend if this grows in NZ like it is in the UK.

Also I would disagree about comments regarding the media. The media in the UK are all to happy for go Islam bashing at the moment. Irresponsible and ignorant reporting just adds fuel to the fire of the racists (and more recently Islamophobics). A more responsible media can do alot to create more harmony and understanding.

Regarding Chch specifically, I had heard that the colonialial attitude is more likely to be found there than anywhere else. I dont think I will be looking for jobs there then. However, it is probably still better than most towns or cities in the UK.

Every time I here this 'do as the Romans do' comment I ask whether the Romans respected the ways of the countries they "visited"...er, no actually Sad

Rob

veronica · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 5:47 am Post subject:

Its OK to be liberal minded about racism but when it comes to immigration it really helps if the people who go to live in another country can fit in. By that I don't mean they have to give up their culture but perhaps they should adopt some of the ways of the country they go to., most importantly learning the language. But imagine you are an employer with a business to run and of the people who apply for the job only a couple can speak good english, who would you employ? I know who I would, Their colour or ethnic origin wouldn't be an issue but the fact that they could communicate and read the language would be.

I think this has been one of the big mistakes in both England and NZ with existing (UK) and previous (NZ) immigration policies that the people going to live perminantly there haven't had to have a working knowledge of the english language. This leads to them being unemployable except by people of their own ethnic origin so they therefore never have to "fit in" their new country and although they live there they are not part of it. This leads to your little italys, chinatowns etc. which is almost a reverse type of racism as "native" people are almost excluded from these areas. This builds bigger divides and resentments, as do the govt. policies that say too much about racial discrimination. It should just be one rule for all.

The sooner people intergrate the less racism there will be and I think they should adopt the ways of the country they live in. Can you imagine going to live in one of the Muslim countries and insisting on your right to drink alcohol and if female walk around in a bikini top and shorts

I don't think so. Rome is just a figure of speech, an example of fitting in.

These things won't change overnight but the less publicity they are given the better. Then you don't get "copycat" or "special treatment" issues building up.

Cor! that was a bit heavy weren't it. But going back to the original young lady who was abused, whats the figures of random violence against caucasians who cop it because they say the wrong thing, or look at someone wrong. I bet its higher than the racial attacks! and not necessarily reported either.

John Miller · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 7:56 am Post subject:

The press here don't make a huge issue of it, but the main violence perpetrated in NZ is Maori against everyone else.

As regards 'islamophobia', I admit to catching it. I caught it around the time of the first Gulf War when I saw the majority of 'British' muslims supporting their 'brother' Sadaam against the West. Unfortunately, whether you blame repressive, undemocratic islamic states, or Israel and the USA's aggression for the current strife in the world, things look as if they will get worse before they get better. The cracks will increasingly show in Western countries with large muslim populations.

NZ can pick and choose who it lets in. With the current state of the world, I'm all for choosing people who we know will integrate easily rather than people whose loyalties we cannot be sure of in a crisis.

robernelli · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 11:22 pm Post subject:

Hi John,
Yes the Maori issue is deep rooted and not one that is going away easily despite what from here seems like considerable efforts from the NZ govt.
As for your'islamophobia', I hope its not catching out there in NZ fingers crossed

. The easiest cure I think, as this applies for any religion, is analyse what the followers of of religion are supposed to be doing rather what they are actually doing. The credentials of any religion is on the mainstream teachings, not on extremist interpretations or the actions of followers who mix culture with religion and often do not know the difference themselves, and often have misguided loyalties. For example, on the issue you raised, I know that Islam advises people to defend the morally right cause, even if this sometimes means going against your own (eg. dictators like Saddam who was not religiously motivated anyway). The majority did this but it is always likely that those who did not are louder and more vocal.

The minority that are the troublemakers, whether from Muslim communities, Maori, Afro Caribbean or whoever, they all have something in common the way I see it ... that is a feeling that they are excluded from the rest of society and this turns into resentment and possibly eventually violence. I could be wrong but I am more optomistic in the NZ goverment being able to arrest this trend than the govt here who seems to be adding more fuel to the fire.

Rob