The Bangladeshi Student Association at CDU has planned a rally to “call for justice” for the 23-year-old student who was violently bludgeoned in his home overnight Wednesday and remains in intensive care with critical injuries.
The peaceful demonstration, which will call on the Fyles Government to take action against increasing violence in the community, is planned for 12:30pm – 1:30pm Thursday at the breezeway in front of the CDU library.
“Join us [Thursday] in solidarity as we call for justice for the victim and demand stronger measures to ensure the safety of international students in our community,” the organisers wrote on Facebook.
“We have witnessed an alarming increase in crime rates over the past few months, culminating in today’s tragic incident. As international students and student association members, we want the government to pay attention and take immediate action to address our safety concerns.”
The organisers stressed it was a peaceful rally that aims “to send a strong message that violence will not be tolerated and that our community stands together in the face of adversity”.
“United we can make a difference and work towards a safer and more inclusive environment,” they said.
The rally comes after CDU vice-chancellor Scott Bowman said he could no longer tell international students during recruitment drives that Darwin is a safe place to study.
The 23-year-old student remains in hospital in a critical condition and is not expected to survive the attack. On Wednesday morning his residence was broken into by an unknown male who reportedly attacked the student in his bed, causing the critical injuries.
Police arrested a 29-year-old man near the scene and he remains in custody.
A motivation for the attack has not been provided but it appears the student did not know his attacker.
The CDU rally will be held a week before the next NT Crime Rally scheduled for May 11 at 2pm at Parliament House.
In March, an estimated 3,000 people rallied to call on the Fyles Government to do more to end the crime crisis currently gripping the Northern Territory following the stabbing death of 20-year-old bottle shop employee Declan Laverty.
Mr Laverty’s mother Samara will be attending the May 11 rally, organisers said.
It was later revealed the Fyles Government hid in their electorate offices and locked the doors during the first rally.
The Bangladeshi students have more balls than the locals!
They are showing so much restraint!
The Anger is palpable!
Time to get trouble makers off the streets. If police weren’t busy playing social worker to children that should have somewhere to go and be looked after they would be able to do more patrols instead of paperwork.
It’s time that good men stop doing nothing in response to this escalating lawlessness and violence.
Neighbourhood Watch needs to step up to the next level to assist a chronically under-resourced and politically tape-bound police force.
One strategy might be for all the fit and able good young men in the sporting clubs to align themselves with suburban Neighbourhood Watches, and do night-time training runs on a roster, and where appropriate undertake citizens arrests and counselling services, and invite youth with nothing better to do to play sport instead of running amok.
Surely at least all the Rugby League and AFL clubs in the NT have the good citizens available to carry out this support role. If not them perhaps the fully-kitted cricket, hockey and baseball players could step up. Soccer teams might have a bit of trouble working out where the off-side line is? (sorry couldn’t resist).
Regardless of the derivation of the oft-used quote, evil is triumphing in our NT and good men are not doing enough.