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Australian Government apology sincere; important step in reconciliation process

13 February 2008 - Media release ENIAR - The apology by the recently elected Australian Government to the ‘Stolen Generations’ of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,* delivered at 8.55am (AEST), 13 February 2008 marks an exciting turning point in Australian history and should be used as momentum to carry forward the enormous task of remedying the severe inequalities in health, education, employment and the general exclusion from Australian society, facing Indigenous people today, say the European Network for Indigenous Australian Rights (ENIAR).

“The very meaningful words, tabled in the federal parliament on 12 February 2008 and the sincere delivery by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd take Australia a huge step closer to genuine reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups and individuals for this moment have been campaigning for a long time – too long”, said ENIAR Coordinator, Gill Watson. 

“It is certainly appropriate that the Stolen Generations are singled out for an apology given the magnitude of the harm done to them. This includes the families left behind, and the families which those stolen children went on to raise. All feel the hurt and trauma. All Indigenous people share the collective knowledge of what it means to have families forcibly separated.

“We are also very pleased that the apology makes mention of the government-sanctioned mistreatment of Indigenous people more generally. The attempted destruction of Indigenous communities and culture took many forms, from schooling designed to alienate Indigenous children from their families, to the systematic forced removal of children. Many were badly abused; many sent to work in white people’s homes or on stations, never to see a cent for their work. It is undoubtedly true that Australia was built on the backs of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and even South Sea Islander people – it is not widely known that Australian’s ventured to the South Sea Islands such as Vanuatu and the Solomons and took people, in chains, back to work the sugar plantations of Queensland. Many of those Islanders never saw their families again either. A broader recognition of such mistreatment is thus appropriate.

“We are very happy that the apology recognises Indigenous Australians’ unique place in Australian society and their strength in surviving as the world’s oldest living cultures. We believe this heralds a new era in relations between all Australians and hope that the spirit of this apology lives on. It needs to be used to propel serious government action in all areas: land rights, health, education, employment.

“ENIAR is disappointed that the Prime Minister has chosen not to lead on the issue of compensation, ruling out a reparations tribunal, recommended by the Bringing Them Home Report. We will continue to campaign on this important recommendation, but for now, we join Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in celebrating this monumental step,” concluded Ms Watson.

The Bringing Them Home Report, containing many firsthand stories of stolen children can be read at http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/bth_report/index.html

Prime Minister Rudd’s apology is at http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/apology/text.htm

Media contacts: 

Gill Watson +44 (0)7949 422 672                         Libby Gunn +44 (0)7908 607 728

Source: The Age

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