National Sorry Day

The National Sorry Day is a committed annually on 26 May since 1998 unofficial Australian holiday. The occasion is the forced adoption of approximately 35,000 Aborigineskindern by the Australians 1920-1969 - the so-called Stolen Generations ( Stolen Generations ).

History

Published in 1997, the Australian Human Rights Commission of the final report Bringing Them Home Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families. It was decided to commemorate the Aboriginal people with a holiday. The following year, a committee was established on this subject. Prime Minister John Howard, who did not support the concept, did not take part in what has been criticized. In the same year the National Sorry Day was celebrated for the first time.

In 2005 the day was renamed the National Day of Healing in the short term, but in September this renaming was withdrawn after a decision of the Committee.

In 2007, the apology to the aborigines of Australia and the "Stolen Generations" one of the central themes of the campaign for the election of the federal parliament. The Australian Labor Party and its candidate Kevin Rudd promised the national apology in their campaign; the Liberal Party of Australia the then Prime Minister John Howard sat down again on the other hand. After the victory of the Labour Party on 24 November 2007, the newly elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered an apology speech at the opening of Parliament on 13 February 2008.

The original text of the speech by the Prime Minister in the Australian Parliament on 13 February 2008 was:

"Today we honor 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 apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and Governments inflicted profound grief thathavegone, suffering and loss on synthesis, our fellow Australians. We apologize Especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from Their families, communities and Their Their country. For the pain, suffering and hurt of synthesis 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 inflicted on a proud people Malthus and a proud culture, we say sorry. We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request did 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 thatthis 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 did embraces all Australians. A future where this parliament Resolves did 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 between us did read 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 equal stake in shaping on with the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia. "

Translated into German means:

"Today we honor the indigenous people of this land, the oldest surviving culture in the history of mankind. We think about their ill-treatment in the past for. We think especially of the stolen generations after - this dark chapter in the history of our people. Now the time has come for our people to begin a new chapter in Australia's history by improving the mistakes of the past and so are confident about the future. We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have them, our fellow Australians, severe grief, suffering and loss inflicted. We apologize that the children of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were their families, communities and their homes taken away. For the pain and suffering of these stolen generations, their descendants and their families left behind, we say sorry. Mothers and fathers, the brothers and sisters we say sorry that their families and communities were broken apart. And for the indignity and humiliation that have been inflicted by a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry. We the Parliament of Australia ask, respectfully, that this excuse is received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the people. For the future we take to heart, to ensure that this new chapter in the history of this great continent can be written. Now we take the first step by we release the past and claim a future raise that involves all Australians with. A future where this Parliament ensures that the injustices of the past, never, never be allowed to happen again. A future in which we use the determination of all Australians, whether indigenous or not, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity. A future in which we include the possibility of new solutions to old problems where old approaches have failed. A future based on mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual responsibility. A future where all Australians, whatever the origin, truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal share of the figures of the next chapter of the history of this great country, Australia. "

This long-awaited apology was welcomed by the majority of the population with joy and pride and signifies the beginning of a new era in the social and cultural history of Australia. However, no promise of payment of money pain of the victims of the Stolen Generations were made as part of the apology.