Australia apologises to Aboriginals in historic day of reconciliation

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The Australian Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd has apologised for White Australia's policy of Indigenous
assimilation during the first seven decades of the twentieth century
in an speech to Parliament in Canberra.

Thousands of Australians gathered in
the nation's capital and around the country in a celebration of
reconciliation with breakfasts and barbecues. Schoolchildren across Australia have interrupted normal scheduled classes to view the speech from Canberra on television.

Mr Rudd told Parliament, which included
a public gallery filled with Aboriginal elders and members of the
Stolen Generation, that he was sorry for the "profound grief,
suffering and loss" suffered by Australia's Indigenous people.

"For the pain, suffering and
hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their
families left behind, we say sorry," said Mr Rudd.

"To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the
sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say
sorry,” he said.

"And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a
proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry."

Calling the Aboriginal assimilation
policy one of Australian history's “darkest chapters” he offered
his apology “without qualification".

"For our nation, the course of
action is clear ... and that is to deal now with what has become one
of the darkest chapters in our nation's history."

"In doing so, we are also wrestling with our own souls," he told Parliament.

"As Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the
Government of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the Parliament of
Australia, I am sorry. And I offer you this apology without
qualification."

He also called for a bipartisan approach to the problems facing Aboriginal communities, calling on the Opposition to join the government in a "war cabinet". 

The chamber rose and applauded Mr Rudd
at the end of his historic speech. Mr Rudd
acknowledged the applause before turning and thanking the members of
the Stolen Generation in the public gallery.

In an emotional day of national
reconciliation, Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson also committed his
party to the sorry motion and accepted Mr Rudd's offer of a
bipartisan committee to deal with certain aspects of Aboriginal
affairs.

However in an echo of bitterness
towards Dr Nelson's Liberal/National party's policy of refusing to
apologise during their 12-years in office under the
leadership of Mr Howard, which ended at last year's election, many Indigenous
people watching the Opposition Leader's on screens rose and turned
their backs as he began his speech.

Some in Parliament's Great Hall of the
People walked out in protest reported the ABC.