It's a new day in Australia

New Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has apologized to Aborigines for years of mistreatment, especially over the Stolen Generation of mixed-race children who were forcibly separated from their families. The justification was often that their families were abusive. However, this is a grave violation of human rights; further, there is evidence that the system itself was abusive.

Watch a video of part of his speech in Parliament.

CNN has a report here.

To symbolize what the government hopes will be a fresh approach to the future, a group of indigenous Australians performed a traditional welcome ceremony Tuesday of dancing and singing to mark the start of parliament's new session. As the traditional owners of the land which parliament sits on, the performers "welcomed" the lawmakers onto it.

"For thousands of years, our peoples have observed this protocol," said Matilda House, an Aboriginal elder at the ceremony. "It is a good and honest and decent and very human act to reach out to make sure everyone has a place and is welcome."

This may open the way to compensation claims by Aborigines. Pray that Australians can find a way towards healing and reconciliation. Sorry, by the way, is necessary but not sufficient to justice for Indigenous peoples.