Family in fear

By Casey Neill
A TECOMA family is living under siege following what they say are racist attacks.
The Indian-born father is now terrified to leave the family home after he was chased and attacked in the main street.
And his wife says the family had previously been the victim of hate mail.
The woman does not wish to reveal her identity because she is terrified of further violence.
“Our lives are in danger,” she said.
She shared her story with the Mail to reveal what she believes is a ‘hidden’ problem with racism in the area.
“Most people are gems and are really great,” she said.
“But there’s definitely a lot of racism in the hills. It’s been going on for years.”
The woman said two men racially abused her husband recently.
They chased him through Tecoma’s main street and attacked him, she said.
“He was terrified.”
“I am fearful for his safety,” she said.
And she said she has become even more worried after a written threat to ‘leave town or be hurt’ was placed in her letter box.
“I do believe they’re racially motivated,” she said.
Her Malaysian-born friend was earlier this year verbally abused at Tecoma train station.
“She was told to go back from where she came,” she said.
The woman said the tension had escalated following news reports detailing a rise in attacks on Indian students in Melbourne.
She said the incidents have had a disturbing effect on her husband. He feels he can’t walk around freely in his own town,” she said.
“If he was just a normal Aussie, white bloke it wouldn’t have happened.”
She said the attacks would not force her family to leave the town.
“I’ve built my own house with my own hands,” she said.
“Wherever you go you’ll encounter problems.”
The woman said she reported the incident to the police and they were investigating but she said they “haven’t been helpful”.
She said one officer told her it was unlikely the attacks were racially motivated.
Belgrave Police Senior Sergeant Doug Berglund said officers followed a reporting methodology for all allegations of racism. “We haven’t had any racial types of issues in years,” Sen Sgt Berglund said.
Sen Sgt Berglund said comments directed at the woman’s husband probably included reference to his skin colour as a defining characteristic rather than being a racist slur.
Yarra Ranges Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said such attacks were intolerable.
“It’s pretty appalling that it’s happening,” she said.
“We don’t have a huge ethnic diversity. Whether that contributed to the problem, I don’t know.”
Cr Dunn said a lack of understanding and ignorance were the likely cause of such attacks.
She pointed to teaching children diversity and difference in schools as a long-term solution to the issue.
“In the shorter term, there’s not much to do,” she said.
“It really saddens me that this is happening up here.”