The Prime Minister of New Zealand apologized on Tuesday, November 12, to the hundreds of thousands of people who were victims of violence while in state care, and acknowledged the “unimaginable suffering” caused in children’s homes and psychiatric hospitals.
Some 200,000 vulnerable New Zealanders have suffered this violence since the 1950s, according to a public inquiry published in July, which described the phenomenon as “unimaginable national catastrophe”. Church-affiliated caregivers sexually assaulted children, mothers were forced to give their children up for adoption, and patients deemed distressing were subjected to electroshock treatments, tied to their beds.
Christopher Luxon, head of the New Zealand government, apologized on behalf of successive governments that turned a blind eye to these events.
“I’m sorry no one believed you when you came to report.” this violence, the leader declared before his country’s Parliament. “Some of you may think that my words are not worth much after so much time and suffering. But I hope that today, with this apology and recognition of your burden, [celui-ci] “It will be a little lighter for some of you.”Mr. Luxon added.
“Unimaginable suffering”
The prime minister cited the case of the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital, located in the rural north, the scene of sterilizations without the victims’ knowledge, unethical medical experiments and punishments with electroshocks. “To those of you who were tortured at Lake Alice – young, alone and subject to unimaginable suffering – I am deeply sorry. »
Many victims have reported persistent trauma that may have led to addiction problems. According to the conclusions of the investigation, part of this violence was mixed with racism against the indigenous Maori people.
“Once cared for, Maori survivors suffered harsher treatment” than the others, Arrun Soma, the main consultant for these investigations, indicated in July.
This work begun in 2018 issued 233 recommendations that the Prime Minister promised to examine.
