We Say Sorry
Feb 18th, 2008 • Posted in: What They're Saying“The Parliament is today here assembled to deal with this unfinished business of the nation, to remove a great stain from the nation’s soul, and in a true spirit of reconciliation to open a new chapter in the history of this great land, Australia…. We apologize especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country. 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.”
– Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, speaking before the nation’s Parliament last week and apologizing for past governments’ treatment of tens of thousands of the country’s Aborigine population. Rudd said the apology was a paramount priority of his new labor government, which “was sworn in Tuesday after a convincing electoral win over the 11-year administration of John Howard, who had for years refused to apologize for the misdeeds of past governments,” reports the New York Times.
Source: New York Times, Feb. 13.
For more information, see: Text of Rudd’s speech to Parliament, Feb. 13 — Related Newsline story, Jan. 24, 2005 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 15, 2002 — Related Newsline story, July 10, 2000.
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