Apology & Compensation. Yes, indeed, complex issues with many faces, not
one Truth, and not one solution. I have often considered these issues, and
often came up with different positions. Nevertheless, an apology, at least in
the Australian context, was, I believe, a monumental and a much needed step. I
agree with both of you Chris and Anita - the value of compensation remains
questionable. I believe it is so cause it is often connected with anger and
driven by the desire to make perpetrators pay, which does not bring about
reconciliation.
This dynamic was shown clearly in a constellation Max and I facilitated
recently. A representative for the Aboriginal victim looked with anger towards
a rep for the White settler perpetrator and said: I want them to pay for what
theyve done. They can never understand, never own it, never make it up to us.
At least they can give us their money. This claim for compensation dissolved
as soon as the rep for a settler said sorry , or rather, accepted
responsibility for what was done, felt and expressed his shame and bowed to the
victims. The claim for compensation seemed totally forgotten and irrelevant,
and great relief experienced by all with a sentence We were all caught in
something greater.
All the best
Alemka
Melbourne, Australia
Harmony In Human Systems
--- On Fri, 6/13/08, Anita Roy <anitaroy@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Anita Roy <anitaroy@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [ConstellationTalk] apology for Residential Schools in Canada
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Friday, June 13, 2008, 5:27 PM
Chris
It is my understanding from listening to the news (the in-depth kind) as
well as from my husband's practice in psychotherapy that indeed compensation
payouts are not useful as they are used on alcohol and/or large purchases
that depreciate quickly. Some of it is used wisely, such as family reunions
and housing, but I believe that's in the minority. Many native radio
interviewees regretted the way compensation payouts are paid out, rather
unceremoniously and impersonally.
How should it be done? I don't know. I do know that giving the compensation
to the tribal councils is not necessarily productive, and certainly giving
it to agencies who provide therapeutic services is no guarantee that either
the services will be rendered efficiently by the agencies, or that the
victims will be ready and or willing to have therapeutic help. Even if they
are willing, often the therapies are not culturally suitable.
It is indeed a very complex thing to compensate for such crimes... on whose
terms? on whose schedule? at what rate?
Radio interviews also indicated that many native people found the apology
too little too late, or simply didn't care about them. One man cried and
cried, but also said he couldn't care less about the apology. It was too
painful. One woman said she was grateful she had lived long enough to hear
the apology and was moved. Many native people on reserves had no idea that
an apology was being made. Some tribal chiefs said they were not interested
and had not let their people know. So a really big mix of reactions.
Anita Roy
Canada
2008/6/12 Chris Walsh <chrisjwalsh@ optusnet. com.au>:
> Hi Ursula,
> this apology appeared in our newspapers today. Just as in Australia, it
> appears that in the past there was a systematic program of stealing
> indigenous children away from their parents in Canada. It appears that in
> Canada you went one step further than we did in Australia with our apology
> by including massive compensation payouts. This raises important and
> interesting systemic issues for me. I wonder if financial compensation is
> helpful or harmful?
>
> In a different setting I have treated recovered substance abusing patients
> who have been sexually abused by Catholic brothers and priests as children.
> They had to go through a fairly traumatic legal process to receive their
> financial compensation. In the end it appeared as if it didn't compensate
> for anything as each of these people went on a protracted drug/alcohol
> binge
> - causing all sorts of health, social and legal problems - until their
> payout money was exhausted. At that point most of them stopped using again.
>
> I am not sure what conclusions to draw from all of this. I have never seen
> a
> constellation around these issues. So i am very interested as to any
> insights anyone else has on these matters.
>
> cheers
>
> Chris Walsh
>
> _____
>
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