'Blaming Vietnamese young people'
By Julia Perkins
Vincent Don, a street worker at Cabramatta Community Centre, who was involved in organising the September 17 "peace rally" in Cabramatta and works day to day with young people in crisis, expressed grave concerns over the reaction of the media to the murder of state MP John Newman.
"They are blaming the Vietnamese young people and claiming that the street gangs are responsible, but these gangs are made up of homeless street kids." These gangs are seen as protection by the young people where violence is the common language.
Don went on to say, "Many young Vietnamese people have been victimised, and there have been two incidents, one in Liverpool, of elderly Vietnamese people being beaten up and not allowed on the bus".
The Vietnamese Consultative Advisory Committee is a body that meets regularly, involving the Vietnamese community and local police, aimed at developing better relations between them. As a result, police have encouraged the Vietnamese community to report any incidents of harassment or violence.
Don commented on the crisis in Cabramatta faced by young Vietnamese in particular. "There are no recreational services at all for young people in Cabramatta. Only 'Timezone' and the Cabramatta Police Citizens Youth Club, but young people don't want to have anything to do with the police. And, so far, there has been no response from the Department of Community Services to fund any projects in the near future."
He stressed the importance of "making people understand that Cabramatta is not a bad community". People there face the same social crisis and lack of services that is evident in all low-income areas. "The general public are led to believe that the Vietnamese community are to blame for John Newman's death, but the residents of Cabramatta do not think this way. We wish to continue to live together in peace."