Thaindian News

Melbourne, April 6 (IANS) A hotel in Australia has opened two separate bars to keep the non-indigenous people and the Aboriginals away from each other. One is called Sportsman’s Bar while the other is called Animal Bar.

The two bars have been set up at the Kimberley hotel in Western Australia. While the Sportsman’s Bar is frequented by mostly non-indigenous people, the Animal Bar is where the Aboriginals go. And, there is a stark contrast between the two.

The Sportsman’s Bar has a fairly pleasant decor and serves food, while the Animal Bar has been designed for binge drinking, with concrete tables and metal bars around the serving area, The Australian reports.

Different rules apply at the two bars for serving alcohol. A security guard stands outside the Sportsman’s Bar to prevent unruly customers from entering. However, if someone is kicked out of the Sportsman’s Bar for being too intoxicated, he or she can walk around the corner to the Animal Bar to be served.

Australia has a long history of treating Aboriginal people differently. First they were subjected to discriminatory laws that prevented them from living where they chose, drinking legally, voting, and being paid a fair wage. When these inequitable laws were finally abolished, they were replaced by equally damaging affirmative action and “culturally appropriate” separatist policies.

Denied the same educational and housing opportunities provided to others, remote indigenous Australians have become increasingly reliant on the state to meet their every need. The aimlessness and boredom of lives lived on welfare has seen heavy drinking become endemic.