After decades the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, today formally apologized for the historic mistreatment of Aborigines by the Australian people.
“Prime Minister Kevin Rudd led the parliamentary apology to members of the Stolen Generations of aborigines, who were forcibly taken from their families and communities when they were young children under old assimilation policies.”
As one woman put it while being interviewed on NPR today, who would have thought that five letters would be so hard to say. I agree! This simple statement to say “sorry” is long overdue. I, for one, am glad that Australia can now move forward from a not so proud moment in our history.
Prime Minister Rudd made the apology during parliament, and said
“sorry” three times to the Stolen Generations and their families, saying the old policies were a stain on Australia’s soul which would never be repeated.
The article goes on to say that Rudd announced his intentions to “give aborigines constitutional recognition as the original owners of Australia.”
Read more about the Stolen Generations here.