The Australian Government: Closer to Reconciliation but Still Not Absolved

The resent apology of the Australian government for the forced migration of thousands of British children troubles me in its lack of sincerity. The shroud of formality that the apology presents seems reassuring by the appearance of the Prime Minister and a special ceremony signifying the Australian governments sin, but behind that veil stands the truth: They still refuse to take responsibility for their part in a most egregious injustice.

This formal apology is all the thousands of victims of hundreds of years of exploitation will receive from the Australian government. As the below article states, “The Australian government has ruled out compensation, saying liability lay with state governments and churches that ran the institutions.” It is possible that the states and churches hold some responsibility, but if that is the viewpoint of the Australian government, why did they apologize? An apology implies some guilt for a prior act. The Australian government would not produce a public apology if they did not feel any guilt towards the action. So in essence, the Australian government in saying that they feel sorry for what they did, but these other groups should rectify the situation. In response this is what I say to the Australian government, “I’m sorry, but an apology without some sort of penance does not absolve you of your past misdeeds. You have admitted that you are at fault, now fix the problem you have claimed responsibility for.” While apologizing has its value, it does nothing to rectify the situation. Thousands have suffered unjustly and nothing is being done. There are more injustices adding onto the first.

There is little doubt in my mind that the states and church will not simply fire back at the Australian government and demand that they compensate the victims or their families, and so it does not seem likely that anything will be done anytime soon to rectify the past. I guess the victims can be satisfied with the fact that their plight required some sort of public address. I suppose I must look more favorably on the Australian government for at least apologizing for their errors; according to the bellow article, the British government has said they will hold off on their apology for another year. I am sure they have their calendar marked in 2010 already.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,575193,00.html