Reconciliation: I am Sorry
Today, the new Australian Government, kept its word and apologized to The Stolen Generation. My eyes misted watching the moment, but they wept on hearing the responses from many Australians later today.
The History:
The Stolen Generations is the name generally given to Aboriginal people – mainly those with some non-Aboriginal ancestry – who were removed from their families as children and sent to institutions or adopted into non-Aboriginal families as a result of government policies now recognised as misguided and destructive,, denying the rights of parents and making these children wards of the state, between approximately 1869 and 1969.
Published in 1997, the Bringing them Home Report was of fundamental importance in validating the stories of the stolen generation and of generations of indigenous people who until now have carried the burden of one of Australia’s greatest tragedies. “Indigenous families and communities have endured gross violations of their human rights. These violations continue to affect Indigenous people’s daily lives. They were an act of genocide, aimed at wiping out Indigenous families, communities and cultures, vital to the precious and inalienable heritage of Australia.”
However, the 1997 report was a considerable embarrassment for the conservative Howard administration, as it recommended that the Australian Government formally apologise to the affected families, a proposal actively rejected by Howard, who was quoted as saying “Australians of this generation should not be required to accept guilt and blame for past actions and policies.” And for the last ten years Howard steadfastly refused to utter the ’sorry’ word, and in fact, started to agitate for the rewriting of Australian History taught in government school, to more accurately reflect what he saw as ‘more important’ historical events.
When the knowledge of the removal policies became public, many Australians were shocked into action through groups such as ANTaR, Reconciliation Australia and the National Sorry Day Committee. With support, members of the Stolen Generations from around Australia held the first “National Sorry Day” in 1998, and subsequently every year since, for over 10 years. In all capital cities, thousands of people have attended Sorry Day marches and gatherings. over the past ten years and many schools through out Australia have held their own Sorry Day. Hear accounts of what Sorry Day Means here and here and from Life Matters
Today
Today, thousands of people gathered outside Parliament House in Canberra to hear the historic apology to be delivered by our new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, this morning. See it here. Thousand of people across Australia attending and viewing this historical event admit to shedding a tear. However, it is important to note that this does not represent the end of an era – but it celebrates the beginning of a new era of reconciliation with indigenous Australians.
The Dove from Welsh/French origins has felt compelled to join in the previous Sorry Day marches, but, today, for the first time in many many years, I am almost proud to be an Australian.
