It was an historic day in Australia, the Sorry Day.
In every city, Australian people were concerned and were present, around a big screen where they could watch and hear the official speech of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Indeed, from Canberra, the Government has offered a National Apology. A special forgiveness for the Aborigines.
It was a day to honour the Indigenous peoples of the land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history. From the Parliament House, Kevin Rudd called to the people to reflect on their past mistreatment. The past mistakes of the Australian Government were all the more unfair that it was the time to apologise them for all the hurt, the pain, and suffering.
These past mistakes occurred between 1910 and 1970, where the government decided to steal the children of the Indigenous peoples in order to educate them in an occidental style. All of this in hope to erase little by little the Aborigine life. The consequences were painful because of the breaking up of families and communities.
Today, recent government statistics account approximately 400 000 aboriginal people, so about 2% of Australian’s total population.
For the National Apology, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs and more than 100 of the stolen generation have been invited to travel to Canberra as special guests of the Government. Australian Government wanted to encourage as many people as possible to participate in the spirit of the day.
It was an important day for all Australian: Indigenous and non-Indigenous, where everyone had the chance to be part of it. I was very surprised because earlier in the morning, when I was on my school way, near the city, in Federation Square, hundreds of people were expected to gather to watch the apology on a big screen, probably before going to work.
As for me, at school, we have watched a movie (Rabbit proof fence), which related real facts, about the painful memories of 3 Indigenous children which were separated from their families…
The apology of the 13th of February has been enshrined as a “new beginning”. Indeed, it was on the one hand, about the past, and on the other hand, about the future. “A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities.” It was an essential act of patriotism and humanity, and a uniquely confessional event for Australia’s soul.
“The Stolen Generations are not intellectual curiosities – they are human beings, human beings who have been damaged deeply by the decisions of governments and parliament.”
