Hi Chris,
I am not Australian and I felt the same emotions when I watched the Sorry Day
from CNN. This proves to us that reconciliation is men´s ultimate desire and
fate. Cheers.
Zaquie Meredith,
Brasil
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Walsh
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 4:31 AM
Subject: [ConstellationTalk] Australian Reconciliation: Sorry Day
Hi all,
As much of our work is to do with reconciliation I wanted to share with
people in this group from around the planet a very special day in my
country's history.
Today the nation of Australia stopped. School children were watching
television sets instead of attending classes, because today a bipartisan
apology was delivered to the Aboriginal people. Most of the apology is
centred around the Aboriginal children stolen away from the families from
the 1890's to the 1970's. This was well portrayed in the movie "Rabbit Proof
Fence" . However it was also about the removal from their land, the disdain
for their culture and the general oppression and lack of respect. The core
part of the apology is below. Relevant photos can be found at:
http://optuszoo.news.ninemsn.com.au/slideshow.aspx?sectionid=1915
<http://optuszoo.news.ninemsn.com.au/slideshow.aspx?sectionid=1915&subsectio
nid=77121§ionname=slideshows&subsectionname=sorryday>
&subsectionid=77121§ionname=slideshows&subsectionname=sorryday
I was surprised by the amount of emotion I felt, as were many others. Tears
were streaming down my cheeks during the apology and later during the day
when I heard indigenous and non indigenous Australians speaking on the radio
with a generosity of spirit I have not witnessed in this country for over a
decade. Kevin Rudd actually talked about healing the soul of the nation.
Sounds like our language doesn't it. It didn't stop at symbolism either.
There were undertakings to go forward with a bipartisan approach to address
issues such as a life expectancy amongst Aboriginals, which is 17 years less
than the rest of the population.
The speech ended with the parliamentarians from both sides of parliament
giving a standing ovation. During this ovation Kevin Rudd turned to the
Aboriginal leaders in the gallery (about 200 people) and directed his
ovation towards them. Meanwhile people could be heard applauding outside
parliament where thousands of people were gathered on the lawns and in
gathering places all around the nation of Australia.
More information about this defining moment in Australia's history can be
found at:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/02/13/1202760342960.html?page=fullpage#c
ontentSwap2
I recommend this link The
<http://www.smh.com.au/multimedia/2008/national/australia-says-sorry/index.h
tml> day we said 'Sorry'
Multimedia: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says 'sorry' to the stolen generation
in Parliament.
The full apology as read today by the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd:
"I give notice that, at the next sitting, I will move:
That today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest
continuing cultures in human history.
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.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's
history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with
confidence to the future.
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.
We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be
received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the
nation.
For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of
our great continent can now be written.
We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to
a future that embraces all Australians.
A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must
never, never happen again.
A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous
and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life
expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.
A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring
problems where old approaches have failed.
A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.
A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal
partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the
next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."
hasta la vista
Chris Walsh
Melbourne, Australia
webpage: <http://www.cwalsh.com.au> www.cwalsh.com.au
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