Race row hostel breaks silence

In a statement this afternoon the company concerned, Adventure Travel Australia, said it had never asked the Aboriginal group to leave, but had received a number of complaints about the group.

"The manager advised both parties of their respective views, that she was prepared to move the complainants and assured the lifesaving group that they were welcome to stay," the statement read.

The company's statement is contrary to descriptions of the incident by the indigenous group.

"The manager said she'd received several complaints about us because we were Aboriginal, from Asian backpackers, who had said if we didn't leave they would, as they were afraid of us," said Amelia Watson, a youth worker on the trip with the Warlpiri women.

The 16 mainly indigenous people included six women who had come to Alice Springs to learn lifesaving, in preparation for the opening of a swimming pool in the community of Yuendumu, 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.

They had been at the hostel for about half an hour on Saturday afternoon when the manager said they had to leave, she said.

"She said these backpackers bring in a lot of money and because they had said they were going to leave if we didn't, so we had to leave because she didn't want to lose the money that they brought in.

"She was just talking as if it was an absolutely everyday thing to do," Ms Watson said.

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Gus: not knowing what really happened makes it difficult to comment very much further. But I trust the Aborigines' version more than the Hotel's... In one of my weird incarnations, when I visited Yuendumu a few years ago, the town was poor, but dry, honest and proud. Lots of good people there...

Sometimes, even if no offence is intended, it's better to apologise for the flare up (even if we believe there was not one) and make sure it does not happen again. Explaining the Aboriginal culture to the "Asians" may have helped a bit, and if these "Asians" backpackers did not come back or wanted to leave, so be it...

NOVOZAVIDOVO, Tver Region — People in this town used to stare at Jean Gregoire Sagbo because they had never seen a black man. Now they say they see in him something equally rare — an honest politician.

Sagbo last month became the first black to be elected to office in Russia.

In a country where racism is entrenched and often violent, Sagbo's election as one of Novozavidovo's 10 municipal councilors is a milestone. But among the town's 10,000 people, the 48-year-old from the West African country of Benin is viewed simply as a Russian who cares about his hometown.

He promises to revive the impoverished, garbage-strewn town where he has lived for 21 years and raised a family. His plans include reducing rampant drug addiction, cleaning up a polluted lake and delivering heating to homes.

"Novozavidovo is dying," Sagbo said in an interview in the ramshackle municipal building. "This is my home, my town. We can't live like this."

"His skin is black, but he is Russian inside," said Vyacheslav Arakelov, the mayor. "The way he cares about this place, only a Russian can care."

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Gus: remember toon and story above...