Oz task force meets to discuss ways to end Indian student attacks

Canberra (Australia), June 3 (ANI): Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's senior national security adviser, Duncan Lewis, has been asked to head a new task force to examine and respond to race-related violence against Indian students in the country.

The task force conducted its first meeting on Tuesday night. Lewis chaired talks with senior officials of the Commonwealth departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Immigration and the Attorney General's Department.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Canberra was working closely with the Victorian Government to hunt the culprits while protecting other students.

As the Government response gathered pace, an Indian graduate revealed he endured racial taunts and verbal abuse from university officials while studying in Melbourne.

Richard Harvey, 38, said he was shocked after university employees ridiculed him when he requested toilet paper and drinking water be made available on campus.

The hospitality graduate was studying at the Meridian International School in 2007 when he asked that the supplies be made available.

After three months of lobbying officials, a quality control supervisor allegedly told him: "You come from a country where people s--- in a field and you're expecting us to provide for you here."

"I was just shocked. I had a meeting with the director of the university but he wasn't interested . . . I am yet to receive any sort of apology," the Herald Sun quoted Harvey, as saying.

A rally of 4000 angry Indian students shut down the city around Flinders St this week as they demanded an end to violence against them.

But as the Prime Minister called for those behind the attacks to feel "the full force of the law", Harvey said it was too little too late. (ANI)