In fact, the UN defines genocide (taken from the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide) as “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
[...]
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”

The history of Aboriginal lands rights in Australia is fascinating (and heavy) stuff. Certainly a part of our history that has been generally overlooked. And even though it arguably began with the Woodward Royal Commission in 1972, it took until 1992 and the Mabo decision to recognise native title in Australia, and overturn the centuries old legal doctrine of terra nullius (meaning, literally, empty land – the legal concept used by Britain when colonising Australia to disenfranchise the Aborigines).

Interesting, and sad. Thanks for mentioning this, Gnomer.

I know we’ve had more than our fair share of brutality to the original native populations here in the states.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apology_Resolution

The problem though, at least in Hawai’i, is even though they apologized, little has changed in the the ten years since. Here’s a link to a good documentary covering that issue:

I was fortunate in that one of my high school English teachers was a strong believer in teaching the “real” Australian History and actually was one of the first teachers I think to ever address Aboriginal history as a class topic.

But 10 years later my best friend is a teacher and I know it’s part of her English lessons.

Give it time. I like to believe that we won’t rewrite history. Although I think it’s likely that some of the horrible things done to the native Australian people at time of “discovery” will always be glossed over.

The hotel owner came and shooed them away, until it became apparent that we had no issue with their presence (in fact, as a young kid traveling Oz with his geriatric parents it was a slice of heaven).

But then, being unprejudiced, I didn’t even know there was an issue.. if didn’t occur to me.

There is a large part of me that doesn’t want to watch it, but I I’ve tracked it down and watch it.

A Dog Act

Or as you have put so well, the lack of consequences for our actions.

The Stolen Wolvar Generation

Of course, this popular culture is often our only window into the lives of the 1st Australians here as well… well that and the newspaper articles and prime time exposes on how they are the drunken rabble fringe dwellers… at least I now know why.