By Acharya Dwivedi
On September 30, Canadians honoured the Residential School (RS) Survivors, their families, and indigenous communities. This day marks the inaugural National Day of Truth and Reconciliation which has been established as a Federal statutory holiday to learn about and commemorate the tragic, painful, and ongoing impacts of Canadian Residential Schools on First Nations, Inuit and Metis people.
The first Residential School was established in the year 1828 and the last school was closed in 1997. The government and church body were responsible for running the system. The indigenous innocent children were the victim of an inconceivable policies of physical & sexual abuse, torture, exploitation, cultural- spiritual cleansing; and above all genocide. Thousand children were killed, and were buried in unmarked graves; and an “unknown number of children” disappeared. This barbaric game continued for 169 years in a country which is being called as a champion of peace, equality and justice.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was created as a result of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (June 2, 2008 dissolved in December 18, 2015) and its final Report detailing 94 calls to action.
I, along with my wife Kanti, daughter Garima and sister-in-law Sarla Dwivedi went to Parliament Hill to attend the painful event on September 30, 21 in Ottawa. There were about ten thousand people in orange shirts. A huge collection of children’s shoes and toys were collected as a token of commemoration of lost children in Residential Schools. Speakers, who were the survivors of the Residential Schools, expressed their tragic experiences and were cheered. People participated in Peace March and a large number of them also carried banners “Every Child Matters”.
No doubt, the horrible treatment of indigenous children at these Residential Schools is an International Tragedy and National Shame of Canada. Mere “apology” and “flag as half mast” are shallow sympathetic actions which are not going to repair the deep rooted wounds of seven generations of indigenous peoples. Some people think that those criminals who are responsible for the atrocities committed against indigenous children should be hunted down and punished.
Everyone of us should embrace our responsibility to listen to, honour and act to support indigenous rights of culture, social values, environment, and spirituality. Moreover, I personally disagree with those who believe that there is no easy way to talk about indigenous issues and no simple path for reconciliation. Contrary to this negative thinking, I believe that if we can act collectively, with sincere and honesty, then miseries of indigenous people can be wiped out. Certainly, the government should take prompt action on the 94 issues asked for action by TRC.
