**************************************** For more information/links, see http://goanet.netfirms.com ****************************************
THE BRITAIN YOU DON'T KNOW What do most people in India associate with Britain? Here's a guess: a royal family - starchy queen, bumbling duke and 3 or 4 undistinguished children. Then there is Big Ben and a warmongering PM called Tony Blair. A few Indian millionaires & thousands of Indian restaurants. Football games & thousands of tourists (mostly from the rougher trades) visiting Goa. But do they know of thousands of incidents of abuse & assaults against Indians in Britain? The Indian & Goan press (still in the throes of a colonial hangover?) is more likely to report English football results and the woes of British tourists in Goa than the problems of their own compatriots in Britain. Incidents run in the thousands - here is a small sample for the year 2000 gleaned from assorted papers, including Asian-run weeklies. Goan victims are fewer because Goans are hardly visible - smaller population, no shopfronts, little civic involvement. Where are they? Probably at church or some village celebration, at least the older lot. RACE CASES 2000 (a small sample) [Victims below are of Indian or Pakistani origin.] Portsmouth (South England) Asian student, 23, faces surgery after a savage attack by a gang of 4 thugs. Rushed to hospital with a broken nose, fractured cheekbone and extensive bruising. Leicester Football match abandoned when a gang of 15 white youths burst into the pitch, chasing the Asian players with baseball bats, beer bottles and other weapons during an unprovoked attack. The manager of the Asian team was cornered in the changing room and knocked down & kicked. Manchester Asian cab driver waylaid by some youths and attacked. They then drove the taxi over Tariq twice. He was left lying in a pool of blood and died later. The following day up to 1000 cab drivers from across east Lancashire drove around in protest. Two years ago a cab driver was murdered in Bolton and a few months ago another escaped being strangled. Coventry Two lighted petrol bombs thrown into Asian shop. Shop was saved but he suffered burns. South London Asian cabdriver was carrying 3 white passengers. On the way, the front seat passenger applies the handbrake, stops the car and all three keep punching the driver. He was forced to hand over his change (�20) and was bundled out of his car. The car was found abandoned and ablaze by police. Midlands Cab driver was dragged from his cab by his 3 passengers and beaten unconscious. He was flung headfirst into a lamp post, kicked to the floor and a heavy metal sign was slammed into his chest. He was rescued when another driver pulled up to investigate. West London Asian man was alone in his bookshop late on Sunday night when a gang of 4 or 5 youths, boys & girls 13-16 entered. They tried to steal a football and he tried to stop them. He was kicked and punched. He died in hospital from head injuries a day later. He leaves a wife & 3 children. The police later caught 3 teenagers including a 15-year girl. South Wales A Sikh had gone for a quiet drink with a white friend. There was an exchange with 4 white men. The Sikh & friend were knocked and punched. Mr Singh was left bleeding on the pavement and died on his arrival at hospital. West London Two Asian men had pulled up at traffic lights. The driver in the adjoining car made offensive gestures before speeding off. Later he reappeared with friends in 2 other vehicles. They repeatedly rammed the Asian car, then 7 men armed with metal bars jumped from the convoy, battered the Asians after given them chase near Heathrow airport. Their car was smashed. Liverpool An Asian TV scriptwriter was driving at night with his white fianc�e. On his way he was forced off the road by a Ford car and was racially abused. 2 more white men suddenly appeared. The Asian was hit in the face with a beer can and dragged out if his car. The Ford driver grabbed his hand and started biting it. He was kicked until almost unconscious and dragged towards the sharp edged metal fence. They were shouting: 'Spike him - put the Paki's head on a spike !' Meanwhile his girlfriend was being attacked by a woman passenger (17) while still in the car. She said: 'One of the men took a flying kick to my head.' The couple were saved when a police car arrived at the scene. Sunil was treated foe broken nose ans cheekbone. His right eye was damaged and he lost several teeth. Manchester An Asian taxi driver was flagged down by pack of youths. One of the thugs smashed the passenger side window, reached for the driver's side and punched him in the face several times and took his key. They next pulled him out of his car and 4 or 5 of them began beating him up. Then more joined in. A fellow cab driver found him in a pool of blood. He could hardly speak and his eye was closed. An ambulance had arrived but took away not the victim but the attackers who were slightly injured. He took the victim in his own taxi to the hospital. There he found the same thugs laughing and threatening the 2 Asians. The doctor said the victim's cheekbone was broken and he might lose an eye. South London An Asian man walking out of the tube station was approached by an unknown white young man, beaten, stabbed several times and left lying in the street. Police were called and the man was taken to a south London hospital. --------------------------------------------- For more incidents & details, visit www.goa-world.net/overseas-digest/Archives 3/2000 racecases.html _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
