AUSTRALIA: Sorry for Aborigines!

Australia is largely known worldwide as a multicultural society in which nearly one third of its population was born abroad in countries like United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam, China, etc. However, in the past, several governmental policies like the white Australia Policy restricted non-white immigration from 1901 to 1973. Although that policy was abolished in 1975, the Aborigines, the original inhabitants of that vast territory were always discriminated and excluded from society. Too late, Australians realized they had failed and by way of compensation created the National Sorry Day to apologize to the natives.

Who are the Aborigines?

Aboriginal communities have the longest cultural history in the world and have inhabited Australia for over 40,000 years being believed that they immigrated from Asia. When the British settlers came to Australia in the 18th century, they found about 750,000 natives. The aborigines, which used to be the only occupants of that territory, soon became the minority.

A history of cruelty

The British colonists, based on the legal principle of “Terra nullius”, took the land away from the natives and became the owners of Australia. A lot of primitive communities were driven out from their territory and others were massacred when they put up resistance. Aborigines were seen as wild animals without dignity and women were frequently raped by the White. Thus, in the early thirties of the 20th century there were only 61,000 natives left.

The assimilation process and the “Stolen Generation”

By the early 1900s, the government decided to segregate aborigines in order to “protect” them restricting employment and property rights. Those children, whose fathers were non-Aboriginal, were moved away from their mothers to comply with the assimilation policy process of the 1960s and were force to adapt to the European culture. The assimilation policy was replaced by policy of self-determination in 1972.

Aborigines Today

Nowadays, Aborigines represent a minority that account for 2% of the total population. With the assimilation process, they had begun to forget their traditional ways of life and culture. Although Australia is one of the most developed and rich countries in the world, this minority lives in very bad conditions. Some problems that this community is facing are: discrimination, poverty (poor houses), high illiteracy, unemployment and infant mortality rates; low wages and life expectancy; drug addiction and alcoholism, among others.

Since 1998, the Australians celebrate each year on 26 May the National Sorry Day to express regret over the mistreatment given by the government in the past and apologize for the “Stolen Generation”.

From my own point of view it is not useful to simply say “Sorry”. First, the government should make a process of integration of aboriginal communities rather than assimilation. This process of integration should imply a substantial improvement in the quality of live in terms of employment, property rights, good education, etc. In order to avoid the loss of identity, there should be a special program to recover and preserve their culture and traditions. Secondly, the government should be committed to diversity by creating special programs to promotes equality and avoid discrimination. All companies should take into account that a strong and deep commitment to diversity (for example hiring Aborigines) is a source of competitive advantage because there is a broader consideration of issues, more innovation and a better decision making. Finally, The National Sorry Day should be a tool to eliminate discrimination at all.

References:
* http://www.ebgymhollabrunn.ac.at/projekte/abori.htm
* http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/3595.html
* http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/article/3050/australia-sorry-for-the-indigenous.html
Images:
* http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/australia-national-sorry-day-26th-may
* http://filer.case.edu/bct4/IPUson.htm
* http://linksunten.indymedia.org/es/system/files/images/6152613894.jpg