lørdag 23. februar 2008

Australia says 'Sorry' (min opplevelse av dagen) - 12.02.08

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has officially apologised to Aborigines and mixed race children for past Australian Government policies. He has delivered the long-awaited apology to Australia's Stolen Generations. He has said sorry for the pain, suffering and hurt of the stolen generations, their descendants and famililes left behind. He says the motion will open a new chapter in the nation's history."


"...to the stolen generations I say the following:
As primeinster of asutralia, I am sorry
On behalf of the government of Australia, I am sorry
On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry..."
- Kevin Rudd



Hei :)
Tenkte jeg maate skrive noen ord om “The apology” og det som blir beskrevet som en historisk dag her i Australia. (selv om dere sikkert har sett det paa nyhetene) Mange her har lenge onsket en unnskyldning for diskrimineringen den Australske urbefolkningen har vaert utsatt for. Tidligere statsminister John Howard nektet til det siste å komme med en unnskyldning på vegne av regjeringen. Seremonien og unnskyldningen betraktes som viktige skritt mot en forsoning mellom Australias urbefolkning og hvite australiere. Unnskyldning ble sendt overalt 12 Feb. Paa skolen samlet alle seg i gymsalen for aa ta del i det historiske oyeblikket. Hadde jeg vaert i Norge ville jeg nok ikke tenkt saa mye over det, men ettersom jeg er her, og har noen aboriginske venner/venner med aboriginsk slekt saa gjorde det ganske sterkt inntrykk.. Alle her synes det er en fantastisk ting!! :) Og som Jen sa, saa kan jeg vaere takknemmelig for aa faa oppleve aa ta del i denne dagen, for den kommer til aa gaa ned i Australia's historie..
Andy xxx




Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology motion has been tabled in Parliament:
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.

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L. sa...
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