Aborigines...goverment apology?

Question

This was in the news a few months ago, but what was the apology for?

Answer 1

genocide

http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/sep199...

The stolen children

http://www.eniar.org/stolengenerations.h...

Answer 2

This was the apology:

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise 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.

It related to:

Between 1910 and 1970 up to 100,000 Aboriginal children were taken forcibly or under duress from their families by police or welfare officers.

Between 10 and 30% of all Aboriginal children were removed, and in some places these policies continued into the 1970s.

Most were under 5 years old. There was rarely any judicial process. To be Aboriginal was enough. They are known as the ‘Stolen Generations’.

The reason given at the time, was to try to integrate the Aborigines into western families.

The policy of removing Aboriginal children officially stopped in the late 1960’s early 1970’s.

Answer 3

for killing them - stealing their lands, torturing their people etc.

They must have been extremely happy with the apology - it probably made everything ok again lol

same as the red indians - their only crime was that they lived in their own land