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Attacks racist, says Arab council

15dec05

THE violent attacks in Sydney had exposed the anti-Arab racism that existed in Australia, a national Arabic council said today.

The Australian Arabic Council (AAC) chairman, Roland Jabbour, said the council was concerned and alarmed by reports text messages were continuing to circulate in Sydney and spreading to Melbourne and other Australian cities.

The messages follow two nights of violent attacks in Maroubra, Cronulla and Brighton-le-Sands, apparently in response to a race riot at Cronulla on Sunday in which people of Middle Eastern appearance were chased and attacked.

State and national leaders need to convene a conference with police, academics and community leaders to find a long term solution to race issues, Mr Jabbour said.

Mr Jabbour called for calm and restraint, but said the events had exposed the anti-Arab racism that existed in Australia and the AAC had predicted such attacks would happen.

"Arab Australians have had to cope for some time with vilification, racism and abuse after numerous international and domestic events," he said.

"We are more than anybody aware of the fringe elements of society that have racist agendas and prejudicial propensities.

"This reality must now be recognised by political leaders and government agencies as a significant impingement on the rights of Arab and Muslim citizens."

Mr Jabbour said denials by political leaders that the violence was fuelled by racist sentiments ignored the historical context of events in Australia.

He pointed to Australia's involvement in the first Gulf War in the early 1990s, the rise of Pauline Hanson and One Nation, the Federal Government's refugee policies, the Bali bombings and the recent anti-terror legislation.

Mr Jabbour said politicians and media commentators had fanned the flames of racial tension.

"It is time that political leaders and media commentators took some responsibility for the current climate of fear and hatred and show some courage to deal with the real issues in a cooperative manner rather than scapegoating communities," he said.

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