Panaji : Australian film legend Phil Noyce Sunday apologised on behalf of Australians for the spate of attacks on Indian students studying in his country.
Noyce, several of whose films have been based on apartheid both in Africa as well as the neglect of the native aborigine population Down Under, said that the Indian community in Australia was living in harmony and the violence was a result of stray incidents.
“I apologise for the problems they are having on behalf of Australians. Sometimes Australians can be… The Indian diaspora in Australia is growing every year. A majority of them are living and studying in harmony,” Noyce said.
“It is unfortunate that visitors to another country are treated in this manner,” he added
India had cautioned Australia over the increasing number of attacks on Indian students through 2009 and 2010 sparking a diplomatic wrangle between the two nations.
Conservative estimates suggest that there are over 100,000 Indian students studying in the various educational hubs of Australia.
Noyce, along with French filmmaker Luc Besson, is being honoured with a retrospective section dedicated towards their films at the 42nd International Film festival of India (IFFI), being held in Goa.
Noyce’s films like “The Quiet American”, “Clear and Present Danger”, “Dead Calm”, “Newsfront” and “Back Roads” are being presented as part of the retrospective.
Among the other popular movies directed by Noyce are the Angelina Jolie starrers “Salt” (2010) and “The Bone Collector” (1999) and Val Kilmer starrer “The Saint” (1997).
IANS
