Dateline: 13 February 2008 Sydney, Australia

Australia's Prime Minister Says "We Are Sorry"

By Violi Calvert

                                         Photo collage from Sydney Morning Herald

Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

Today will be remembered as one of the significant chapters in Australian history.  Australia's new Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, formally said "Sorry" to the Stolen Generation and all the Indigenous people of Australia.  This is a big step in achieving Reconciliation between the Aboriginal people and the rest of the Australian nation.

Australians gathered in Canberra, around the country and overseas to be part and witnesses of this historic event.  Not even the rain kept people from live spots where giant screens showed Mr Rudd read out the much awaited apology.There were happy tears and hugs shared by people in the various crowd gathering.

With this formal apology, the current Federal Parliament sought to heal the pain suffered by Aboriginal families whose children were forcibly taken from them and the ill-treatment by the Indigenous people as a result of state-sanctioned policies.

Let me share with you excerpts from Mr Rudd's speech:

Today we honour the indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.  We reflect on their past mistreatment.  We reflect on their past mistreatment.  We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations - this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.

...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 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.

...We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.  A future where the Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again...

I am sharing this with CROWN readers in the hope that we, as citizens of the world, learn from each other’s mistakes, and that collectively and individually we do our bit in preventing social injustice and promoting world peace.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/the-time-has-come--for-all-australians

-to-together-build-a-truly-great-nation/2008/02/13/1202760342960.html]