by Christian Edwards
SYDNEY, May 10 (Xinhua) -- An emergency meeting has been held in Sydney to combat fallout after Chinese students took out a full- page advertisement urging government action and speaking out against racial violence in the city.
The advertisement, placed in a commuter newspaper, reflects growing community anger after a vicious attack on two Chinese students on a Sydney train was met with an inadequate response from NSW government officials.
The terrifying attack ended with both students suffering facial injuries and burnt with cigarettes during the alleged group assault on a train in Rockdale.
A meeting of Chinese Consular officials, state Government representatives, community leaders, Chinese students and the NSW Police was held late Wednesday at Parliament House in Sydney.
The attack and its fallout have caused outrage in Australia's Chinese community as well as fury on mandarin-language Internet forums, media and micro-blogs.
Consulate officials urged the NSW government to fully convey all information about any racial abuse that may have occurred during the attack so that it may be considered during sentencing.
With some 50 people in attendance, NSW Government representatives included the Minister, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas, Community Relations Commissioner Stepan Kerkysharian, as well as representatives of the Office of the Minister for Police.
Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas pledged several measures to the Chinese delegation.
Kaldas said, "In this case, we will fulfill the NSW Government' s commitment to increase Transit Police numbers from 300 to 600 over the next two years."
According to a press release from the office of Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello MP, other measures will include the appointment of a high-profile, senior Police official to lead safety improvements for all international students; appointment of a Police official to coordinate an approach to hate crimes, including better intelligence gathering and responses; a review of safety on educational campuses and common transport routes and an increase of patrols as required; increase of Police efforts on campuses to inform and educate international students about personal safety; to work with Consular officials both in terms of supporting the victims of this attack and more generally.
"I respect the views expressed at the meeting by some community leaders and students that the recent train incident was a one-off, crime of opportunity in a safe city where they feel very welcome - and not a targeted or racist attack against Chinese students," Dominello said.
"However, it has caused hurt and humiliation to the victims and concern in the student community.
"It is important that we both ensure that justice is done and take steps to ensure our students have a happy, successful and safe experience of Sydney.. I assure the students and the community that those perpetrators will now be subject to the full force of our law," Dominello said.
The office of the Premier of NSW, Barry O'Farrell, has not responded to Xinhua's requests for an interview or statement.
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