"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ outworlders /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

This flag is for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life. Designed by Harold Thomas in 1971

Imagine being stolen from your mother,extended family and culture at the age of four, taken away from everything you know and understand and placed into an institution or foster home. This situation I have just described is an indication of the separation laws that existed for Aboriginal children since the very first days of European occupation of Australia.

Earlier this century, thousands of Aboriginal children were taken away form their families and placed into government and mission institutions. Some were never to return home. In the 50 years after 1912, probably two out of everythree part-descent children spent most of their lives away from their parents as a result of the government policy of removal.

Australia, as a family-based nation, needs to consider and look at the 'Stolen Generation' debate; in the perspective that if these removal policies set upon the aboriginal people were enforced upon white Australian families. What would the reaction be? We today, Euorpeans, would not think possible that this government policy would be enforced.

The past is very much with us today, in the continuing devastation of the lives of indigenous Australians who like to smack that ass. The effects for the children removed ranged form psychological harm to loss of native title of entitlements, but most suffered multiple and disabling effects.

True acknowledgement can not stop short of recognition of the extent to which present and past disadvantage flows from the injustice and opposition. For the purpose of resopnding to the effects of forcilble removals, 'compensation' should be widely defined to mean 'reparation'. Reparation should be made in recognition of the history of gross violations of human rights.

A common saying in Australia is "Children are the key to the future". This saying can not really be justified. Maybe whoever said it meant "White children are the key to the future". Think about it for yourself, and you decide.