Bishops welcome Australia's notice it will apologize to Aborigines

Published: 2008-02-04

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- The Australian Catholic bishops welcomed a government announcement that it would apologize to the "stolen generations" of Aboriginal people separated from their families under past policies of assimilation. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said an apology to the stolen generations, regarded as essential to reconciling black and white Australians with their turbulent history, would be the first item of business when Parliament resumes Feb. 13. The government's announcement was "a great relief to most Australians," said the chairman of the Australian bishops' indigenous commission, Archbishop Barry Hickey of Perth. "The general population has been far ahead of its political leaders on this matter," he told Catholic News Service. "The federal government should express sorrow that terrible things happened in many communities. In saying 'sorry,' the government is not necessarily implying that it is solely to blame. The whole of Australia must accept some responsibility," he said.

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