Ethnic attacks not isolated incidents
If the autumn riots that ignited in France caught most Americans off guard, similar violence in Australia this month must have generated even more surprise.
What began in a laid-back suburb near Sydney as an apparent rivalry over beach access escalated into perhaps the worst ethnic violence Australia has witnessed. According to various reports, Lebanese-Australian youths attacked two lifeguards. Thousands of Anglo-Australians then launched reprisals against dark-skinned beachgoers and others they thought were Muslim; ironically, many Lebanese-Australians embrace Christianity. In retaliation, Lebanese-Australian groups lashed out with guns, bats and iron bars in attacks extending to Sydney itself.
Now, many observers were quick to dismiss France’s unrest as a “French problem,” as if to imply that Paris’ handling of minority matters had been markedly worse than other countries’ approaches. That the French riots had answering calls in several European cities, and that the conditions spawning them exist worldwide, failed to resonate. The “surely-‘it’-can’t-happen-here” attitude made the most noise.
Clearly, though, “it” can erupt elsewhere in Europe or in Australia or in the United States all too easily, which should create a stronger sense of urgency in addressing the problem.
The disruptiveness partly underscores the incivility and instability lurking beneath the surface of seemingly secure modern societies. It is simply too easy to take to the streets, to vandalize, to flout the law.
In the short-term, aggressive policing is required. Long-term, education offers a key. Beyond that, communities of all stripes must say, “Enough.” When troublesome minorities within groups – whether they are foreign-born or indigenous, religious or not – are allowed to define the majorities, the tail is wagging the dog. Peaceful, law-abiding majorities in Australia and elsewhere should stand up, speak out and reassert control.
More extensive awareness-building also would help address the racial, religious and cultural sources of the recent violence. Despite Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s efforts to keep the discussion in a law-and-order context, a recent Australian poll suggested otherwise: Three-fourths of respondents expressed concerns about underlying racial problems.
Economic injustice also plays a role. Many Arab-Australians and Australian Muslims perceive more closed doors than opportunities, live in marginal neighborhoods and believe the broader society holds them at arm’s length. In that sense, they occupy common ground with disgruntled French Muslims.
France has yet to finalize a comprehensive strategy in response to its own unrest, but some thoughtful ideas have emerged. French President Jacques Chirac, for example, has outlined an idea that would help promote ethnic minorities by pushing institutions to reflect the country’s population.
One more component of the recent violence demands attention: its connections to broader global issues, including the war against terrorism. Some Australians correctly have interpreted their country’s riots as a local manifestation of that struggle. They recall the 2002 bombings by Islamic extremists in Bali, Indonesia, as their 9/11. Several victims hailed from the Sydney area.
But the connections extend even deeper. The terrorists responsible for the Bali bombings and their like-minded cohorts have every incentive to infiltrate, agitate and propagandize communities that could serve as future supporters. Some of them call Australia home, which no doubt contributes to terrorism analysts’ concerns that Sydney and other Asia-Pacific financial centers rank high as targets.
Still, this is hardly the moment for hand-wringing or denial. Rather, it is time for responsible people to step up to the plate, for communities to police their own and for nations to do right by all residents.