Sorry to aboriginals

The Australian government plans to say sorry to the Aboriginals. Sorry for the injustice done in earlier years towards the Aboriginals, and sorry especially to the 100 000 children that against their will were taken from their parents and put in boarding schools, reports the newspaper "Dagen" among others in Sweden. This kind of "mission" by putting children in boarding schools has been done by other countries as well (USA, Canada and also Sweden) and has caused a lot of suffering. Children were taken from their mothers and put in a strange culture. The first time I heard about this regarding Australia was from one of the victims, a lady taken when she was 5 and she was deported far away from her parents. I heard her story some years ago. She did not see her mother again until she was a grown-up. It impressed me deeply and I was shocked when she told me that her fate was far from unique. Shortly after I saw a true story in the film The Rabbit Fence (see it if you haven´t already). My friend who told me this is now around 70 and a Christian, working among her own people with Christian work. I admire her for that after her experiences with the white mission stations.

Anyway, it is a good step that the Government says sorry. A recognition of wrongs that have been done. And a necessity for the next step that hopefully comes: a full recognition of Aboriginal culture and rights.