What is Genocide?
Genocide is defined as “Any acts that committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group" The word “Genocide" is defined during 1933, when a Polish-Jewish Lawyer Raphael Lemkin used this word to describe the mass murdered of European Jews at the hands of Nazi Germany — which is well known today as the Holocaust.
-Historical events
- The history of genocide could be found back to the age of Greek; people back then already started to kill large amount of people before and after war.
- According to Thucydides, Athenian had slaughtered the people of Melos after they surrender during the Peloponnesian War
- The massacre of Canthari during the Albigensian Crusade in 13th centuries were often symbolizing the first modern case of genocide.
- One of the most famous genocide in the history, Holocaust done by the Nazi Germany where huge number of Jews were killed
-Warning Sign of Genocide
Genocide often comes with warning. Genocide commonly came after these warning signs; the warning sign of genocide include:
- Classification
- Symbolization
- Discrimination
- Dehumanization
- Organization
- Polarization
- Perpetration
“The Stolen Generation"
“The Stolen Generation” refer to the missing Indigenous child that were taken away by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, around 1900-1970.
(“A Look Inside the Heartbreaking Story of Australia’s “Stolen Generation." Youtube)
Background of “The Stolen Generation”
The “Stolen Generation” happened around 1910-1970. In this situation, children were the victims; many indigenous children were forcing to remove from their families because of government policies These children that were taken were known as the “Stolen Generation”. The removal of these Indigenous children left trauma and loss continue affect Indigenous communities.
-Warning sign of “Stolen Gen
- Victorian Board of the protection of Aborigines was establish
- Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act was established
- Policy was passed in different region of Australia by the state governments.
- Western Australia Aborigines act was passed
- Southern Australia Aborigines act was passed
- Northern territory Aborigines Ordinance was passed
Policy Assimilation
Assimilation assumes of black inferiority and white superiority; This policy allows Indigenous to be “die out” through a process of natural elimination, or to be assimilated into white community.
Overall summaries
What had happened to the children
- Assimilation were mainly focused on children. They were taken from their parent and force to live in a white society.
- The taken kids were forced to adopt white culture and told to reject their Indigenous culture. Their name was changed, they were forbidden to speak their own languages.
- The environment these kids were place in were not good; abuse and neglect are common in these children.
For some people, the “Stolen Genocide" might not seen like a typical genocide because it did not included mass murdered, but according to the International law, the definition of
Genocide is “Any of the fallowing acts committed with intent of destroy, in whole or in part, as a national, ethnicity , racial or religious group, as such:
So According to 5, Forcibly to transferring children is defined as “Genocide”, so that why “The Stolen Generation” is genocide.
Effects on Family and the stolen children
The removal of Indigenous children in the event “Stolen Generation" still found series of impact today, it effect the “Stolen" children and their families mentally and physically.
-For the stolen Children
- Children that were taken face several physical, sexual, and psychological abuse while they stay with their adoptive families.
- The taken children have never know their birth parent were still alive.
- Children had received a very low education and then expected to work as a manual laborious and domestic servants.
-For their family
- Many family had never recovered from the grief of having their children taken.
- Most of the parent could not go on living without their children, some turn alcoholic, some other even committed suicide.
- Because of the removal of the next generation, many family tradition and oral culture of Indigenous had lost because there were no children there to carry on.
Real Stories “Ruth Stories"
- When Ruth was 4 years old, she was separated from her mother on Cherbourg mission in Queensland. Ruth was 6 months old when she first arrived at Cherbourg. Times were tough; it was during the Depression, and Ruth’s mother had gone to Cherbourg seeking help for her ageing parents.
- But once she arrived at the mission, Ruth’s mum was prevented from leaving. What was intended as a temporary visit became years of separation and control. “People would say it was for your own good, but my own good was to stay with my mum,” says Ruth.
- At first Ruth could stay with her mum in the women’s dormitory. But eventually every child was removed to a separate dormitory. Ruth was 4 when she was taken from her Mum. “Once you were taken from your parents, you had no more connection with them,” she explains.
- For a short time, Ruth still saw her Mum from a distance. But when Ruth was 5, her mother was sent away from Cherbourg and forced to leave her daughter behind.
People Response
Finally, after investigation done by the Australian government, they found out the policy of forcing children removal breached the Fundamental Human Right. The action was taking in.
-Going Home Conferences in Darwin
In 1994, children that was taken, from every states and territory met together to share their experiences, to expose the history of removal children from their family and effects of this policy on Aboriginal people.
-The National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families
In 11 May. 1995, the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families is established to examine the effects of separation, identify what should be done in response, find justification for any compensation and look at the laws of that time affecting child separation.
-Formally Apologies of State Government of Australia
In 1997, state government from different region of Australia gave out formal apologies to the Aboriginal people for actions they had done.
National Sorry Day
National Sorry day held on May 26 each year. This day gives people a chance to come together and share the steps toward to heal for the “Stolen Generation”. Many activities and events will be taken place on National Sorry Day, it included:
- Concerts and barbecues
(“Independent Australia". Google image) - Reconciliation walks or street marches.
- Sorry Day flag raising events.
- Morning teas or lunches.
- Speeches from community leaders, including Indigenous Australian elders, as well as edu
- cators.
- Media statements from politicians within federal, state and local governments.
People will have a chance to write message and sign “Sorry Book" as a way to show their commitment toward the reconciliation.
Conclusion and Connection
-Holocaust to “Stolen Generation"
“Stolen Generation" was kind of like Holocaust of Jews, where the Government go against a special race of people. In the example of Holocaust, Nazi Germany wanted to wipe out the entire race of Jews, and in “Stolen Generation", State Government of Australia specially remove Indigenous people from their family.
-“Night" to “Stolen Generation"
There are few scenes that are similar between story “Night" and “Stolen Generation". In the book, when Elie first came to the camp, he saw truck of small children were taken away. This scene is similar to “Stolen Generation", the both government had action of taking away children. However, the proposes were different; for Nazi, babies and children can’t work, keeping them is not going to do anything good.
Author Conclusion
After finishing this Blog, what I had learned the most is “What is genocide and how it effect people". Before doing the research, the stereotypical meaning of genocide for me is: Events that included mass murdered, so for me, Holocaust had always be the example of genocide. That is why while I first doing the research for “Stolen Generation", the thing I kept asking my self is “Is this really call a Genocide? there were no killing?". But after I learn more about this event and genocide, I see that genocide is not only about killing, it is about destroying others in a whole in any form.
References
Pcino Sasha. Stolen Generation still remembered. SunshineCoastDaliy. May 27. 2011. Web. Oct 10. 2018. https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/students-remember-the-stolen-generation-coast/861312/
National Sorry Day in Australia. Timeanddate.com. n.d. Web. Oct 10. 2018 https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/national-sorry-day
The Stolen Generations. Australians Together. n.d. Web. Oct, 10. 2018 https://www.australianstogether.org.au/discover/australian-history/stolen-generations
Aboriginal culture – Politics – A guide to Australia’s Stolen Generations. WWW. CreativeSpirts.info. n.d. Web. Oct, 10.2018. https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/a-guide-to-australias-stolen-generations
Aboriginal culture – Politics – Stolen Generation Timeline. WWW. CreativeSpirts.info. n.d. Web. Oct, 10.2018. https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/stolen-generations-timeline
N/A. “The Stolen Generation – First Australians". Photograph. weebly.com, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://aboriginalstolengeneration2.weebly.com/the-stolen-generation.html
N/A. “The Stolen Generations and Hope in Healing". Photograph. girlsglobe.org, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://www.girlsglobe.org/2013/02/11/the-stolen-generations-and-hope-in-healing/
N/A. “Stolen Generation|ANTaR". Photograph. antar.com, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://antar.org.au/campaigns/stolen-generations
N/A. “Definition of Genocide | CGE". Photograph. cge-genocideeducation.org, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 http://www.cge-genocideeducation.org/definition-of-genocide/
Gregory H. Stanton “10 stages of Genocide".Photograph. endgenocide.org, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://observer.com/2017/08/warning-signs-of-mass-violence-in-the-us-charlottesville-syria-burma-rwanda-genocide/
N/D. “Ruth Hegarty". Photograph. alchetron.com, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://alchetron.com/Ruth-Hegarty
N/D. “The Stolen Generation". Photograph. weebly.com, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://hayleyflynnjustice.weebly.com/the-stolen-generation.html
N/D. “Timeline: Stolen Generation|SBS News". Photograph. sbs.com.au, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwic7JKSuYzeAhWKbbwKHduvAMEQMwhIKAwwDA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sbs.com.au%2Fnews%2Ftimeline-stolen-generations&psig=AOvVaw3dVXthOiAc6ry7MWF9dY_o&ust=1539830335070327&ictx=3&uact=3
N/D. “Turnbull government to give national apology". Photograph. theconversation.com, n.d. Web. 17, Oct. 2018 https://theconversation.com/turnbull-government-to-give-national-apology-to-victims-of-child-sexual-abuse-98245
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wikX7V3nXDE&t=75s. Yahoo. “A Look Inside the Heartbreaking Story of Australia’s ‘Stolen Generation.'" YouTube. March 2016. Web. 15, Oct. 2018.
Remain Untitiled 