SENATOR SANAULLAH BALOCH
No doubt, history is ruthless. Thousands of years' of old habitants of Australian continent, known as Aborigines - exploited, ransacked, humiliated and dispossessed of their land and lords by British settlers, but even denied a five word 'sorry' for centuries. On February 13, 2008 the Australian PM Kevin Rudd opened a new chapter in Australia's tortured relations with its indigenous population. He formally apologised to the Aborigines, on behalf of the people of Australia, parliament and the government for laws and policies of successive parliaments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on native people.
Aborigines are not the only ransacked population on the globe. Hundred of thousands of people around the world are continuing to suffer due to the exploitative nature of modern states. The world's nearly 200 countries contain some 5,000 ethnic groups. These nationalities possess significant regions full of natural wealth.
Majority of these ethnic groups are facing worst racial, cultural and socio-economic discrimination. Significant number of states based on modern political principles, are not only denying them their identities but are in efforts to politically and economically marginalise these minority inhabitants. Violent conflicts all over the earth reflect that the states are careless regarding the rights of ethnic minorities and natives. Marginalised groups are still excluded from real political power. Genocide, killings, disappearances and violation of human rights is order of the day for powerless nations. But the newly elected Australian PM Rudd set an historic and healing example for discourteous rulers of the world through his bold confession that they must come forward and say a big sorry to the distressed people for their horrendous acts.
British colonisation of the Australian continent was atrocious. In 1788, within weeks of their arrival they brought together the wave of disease, like Smallpox which alone killed more than 50 percent of the Aboriginal population within months. The combination of disease, loss of land and direct violence reduced the population up to 80 percent between 1788 and 1900.
They were disposed by their precious land and water resources around Sydney by settlers. The disorder and unfitted population resisted with arrows and hand made weaponry, but no match with the British guns and cannons. Tens of thousands of them massacred.
In 1869 the inhuman policy of 'removal' began which shocked the civilisations around the world. The policy came to an end in 1969, which was based on the opinion that the 'full blood' tribal Aborigines population is unable to survive and sustain itself. This cruel plan deprived majority of indigenous people from their children which were forcefully removed and kept in isolated concentration camps to make them 'civilised' and live in a European life style.
Commonwealth of Australia established in 1901, but Australian constitution denied recognition to the Aborigines till 1967, leaving them to be considered 'flora and fauna', pllants and animals. The 1967 referendum allowed Aborigines to be counted in census process as Australians. Since then the people are asking for national apology for their 'Stolen Generations' and unspeakable sufferings. The inexcusable acts of lately settled Australians compelled the PM and entire Australia to apologies to remove the historic burden. This was the first landmark of Rudd's government, which sworn in on Tuesday after a convincing electoral win over the 11-year administration of John Howard, who had for years refused to apologise for the misdeeds of past governments.
On February 13 he moved a resolution honouring the indigenous peoples of Australia. The PM in his nationwide telecasted speech said, "To the stolen generations, I say the following: as PM of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the government of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry. I offer you this apology without qualification. We apologies 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..."
Rudd wisely said, "In 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.
"There comes a time in the history of nations when their peoples must become fully reconciled to their past if they are to go forward with confidence to embrace their future. Our nation, Australia, has reached such a time." He further eloquently emphasised that why he has decided to the apologies in parliament he said, "It is for these reasons, quite apart from concerns of fundamental human decency, that the governments and parliaments of this nation must make this apology because, put simply, the laws that our parliaments enacted made the stolen generations possible.
"We, the parliaments of the nation, are ultimately responsible, not those who gave effect to our laws. And the problem lay with the laws themselves. As has been said of settler societies elsewhere, we are the bearers of many blessings from our ancestors; therefore we must also be the bearer of their burdens as well. Therefore, for our nation, the course of action is clear: that is, to deal now with what has become one of the darkest chapters in Australia's history." The 4-minute apology may not heal the unspeakable miseries and sufferings of the traumatised nation, but the bold confession by the leader of modern world power has much appreciated by the people all over the world. Nonetheless, it's evident that naturally evolved cultures, civilisations, languages, religions, faith, literature, intellect, music and national maturity could not be taken away by the state power.
The writer is the member Senate of Pakistan
E-mail: balochbnp@gmail.com
Senator Sanaullah Baloch
Member Senate of Pakistan
http://www.sanabaloch.page.tl
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