Australia Apologizes to British Migrant Children, Britain Yet to Send an Apology
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November 23, 2009
Filed under News
After years of mistreatment against migrant British minors, Australia apologizes for the “lies, deceit, cruelty, and official disinterest, and neglect” of the children (BBC News).
Between the years 1930 and 1970, British children were told their parents were dead and they would find a better life awaiting them in Australia before being shipped off to the distance land. Many parents were under the belief that their children had been adopted somewhere in Britain. Upon arrival in Australia, brothers and sisters were separated, and were sent to labor camps where most were abused psychologically, physically, and sexually.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a national apology to the “Forgotten Australians,” and will recognize the sufferings of the 500,000 people who were held in these camps, orphanages, and children’s homes, as well as the 7,000 migrants still living in Australia.
However, many of the migrants along with the Child Migrants Trust are angered that the Australian government apologized before the British government, claiming the British have much to answer for. In addition, the Trust is unhappy the Australian government combined the apology with another for abused Australian-born children during these times.
The British Department of Health issued a statement saying “[t]he child migrant scheme was wrong,” and has taken this stance since 1998. A BBC News report stated that the British government is “considering the implications of the Australian apology.”
Written by Dana Edwards
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