Torsten Blackwood/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. A crowd outside Parliament listened to the apology read by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Aborgines of Australia.By TIM JOHNSTON
Published: February 13, 2008
New York Times
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd opened a new chapter in Australia’s tortured relations with its indigenous peoples with a comprehensive and moving apology for past wrongs.
Mr. Rudd’s apology was particularly addressed to the so-called Stolen Generations, the tens of thousands of indigenous children who were removed, sometimes forcibly, from their families in a policy of assimilation that only ended in the 1970s.
“We apologize especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country,” Mr. Rudd said as hundreds of members of the Stolen Generations listened in the gallery, some with tears in their eyes. “For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
“To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.”
complete article from the NYT
1 comment:
Vic,
As you remember (I think) my daughter spent 6 months in Australia and she used to describe how the indigenous people were treated....well in her words " how they were ignored." When she arrived in Australia, the indigenous put on a dance or show for them and many times comments were made that made you think all was fine with the relationship between and indigenous and "others"...but in reality, people just plain ignored these people like they were not there!
I can't help but wonder the real purpose of this apology. I have read that many of the stolen generation children had many psychological problems all their lives, and it was no wonder! An apology is just a small effort in my eyes!!!
Debbie
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