RogerC Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I watched a film last night (Oranges and Sunshine) about the UK/Australian governments collusion in the forced deportation of up to 130,000 children from the UK to Australia from the late 1940's to the 1970's. At the end I found myself wondering about the 'balance' of fairness in the treatment of 'victims'. This policy of forced deportation concerns up to 130,000 children/babies who were taken from 'state care' homes, Barnardos etc in the UK. They were told they were orphans and their parents were told their children had been adopted. This is reported to have been government policy!! Once in Australia these children were put into forced labour until the age of 16. They were in the care of families and institutions run by Nuns and most notoriously an organisation called 'The Christian Brothers'. There are numerous reports of horrendous beatings and gang rape of both boys and girls. Extracted from a report compiled from the memories of Harold Haig who was 10 or 11 at the time of his deportation. He is now 74..........One victim told an official inquiry that his Christian Brother carers competed to become the first to rape him 100 times. From my limited research I can find nothing that confirms that anyone has been charged with these horrendous crimes which on the face of it amounts to government sponsored abduction, serious assault and in some cases murder and what must amount to thousands of cases of sexual abuse, rape and buggery. Include in this if you will the mental trauma and anguish these children, now adults suffered and are still suffering because of this appalling action. So my question, in the light of the ongoing furore over Saville et al is this: Why (apparently) is there no legal action being taken against those in Government who allowed this to happen? Why is there apparently no legal action being taken against those who carried out the physical/mental and gross sexual abuse of these children? Could it be that despite this 'state sponsored child trafficking' of tens of thousands of individuals it is too embarassing for all Governments concerned (UK, Australia and Canada) and is therefore 'buried' by the police on instructions from the governments concerned? Or is it simply the case that setting up a 'Task Force' to investigate Saville and others of celebrity status is a better headline grabber? Remember these were 'British' children....tens of thousands of them who were 'officially abducted' forced into slave labour and physically abused and sexually abused/raped. Yes some of those concerned in the 'abduction' and abuse are dead....but so is Saville. Where is the proportionality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 We watched the first maybe 15mins then recorded it to watch later. So I havent read all your thread :-D did look interesting I did know of one young lady who I spoke to years ago that had been one of these children :-S very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 It was a truly awful time in Australia's history. In 2009 the then Aussie Prime Minister - Kevin Rudd - formally apologised to those children. The full wording of his apology is available in many places - here is one link to a Telegraph article that gives some background. The UK's role in this is not a good one either! Overall - a truly awful event. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/6578427/Australian-apology-to-British-child-migrants-speech-in-full.html :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 One of those times when we can't be too proud of 'British history and culture'. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul- Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 CliveH - 2013-01-13 2:04 PM It was a truly awful time in Australia's history. In 2009 the then Aussie Prime Minister - Kevin Rudd - formally apologised to those children. The full wording of his apology is available in many places - here is one link to a Telegraph article that gives some background. The UK's role in this is not a good one either! Overall - a truly awful event. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/6578427/Australian-apology-to-British-child-migrants-speech-in-full.html :-S I remember seeing a program on the subject around that time, where they talked to some of the victims and they gave their experiences, It certainly didn't make me proud to be British :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 It certainly was a despicable act by all concerned. Governments, organisations and individuals were involved and my question above was and is...where is the proportionality in cases like these? The Saville case has gone, to use the language of today, viral. The police, politicians and press are all over it like a rash but these thousands of children have to make do with an apology while those responsible seem to be getting off scot free. Literally tens of thousands of children were 'officially abducted' and placed in the care of others who in a great many cases physically, sexually and mentally abused them. So why why why has no one (apparently) been prosecuted? In my opinion an apology doesn't begin to address the wrongs done to these children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 RogerC - 2013-01-13 2:48 PMIt certainly was a despicable act by all concerned. Governments, organisations and individuals were involved and my question above was and is...where is the proportionality in cases like these? The Saville case has gone, to use the language of today, viral. The police, politicians and press are all over it like a rash but these thousands of children have to make do with an apology while those responsible seem to be getting off scot free. Literally tens of thousands of children were 'officially abducted' and placed in the care of others who in a great many cases physically, sexually and mentally abused them. So why why why has no one (apparently) been prosecuted? In my opinion an apology doesn't begin to address the wrongs done to these children.As the kids involved are now in their 70's I suspect all the guilty parties are dead.......... the only winners of any action now would be the lawyers......and as usual thetaxpayer would get the bill *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 RogerC - 2013-01-13 2:48 PMIt certainly was a despicable act by all concerned. Governments, organisations and individuals were involved and my question above was and is...where is the proportionality in cases like these? The Saville case has gone, to use the language of today, viral. The police, politicians and press are all over it like a rash but these thousands of children have to make do with an apology while those responsible seem to be getting off scot free. Literally tens of thousands of children were 'officially abducted' and placed in the care of others who in a great many cases physically, sexually and mentally abused them. So why why why has no one (apparently) been prosecuted? In my opinion an apology doesn't begin to address the wrongs done to these children.Without the internet, and Twitter etc, the Savile case would not have 'gone viral'.Surely that is the difference.The story about the deported children is a very old one, and when it first came to light there was no social media. Lots of awful thing s have happened in the past which I doubt would happen these days without everyone getting to hear about it. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Makes you wonder what is still bubbling underneath the horizon. But for the suspicions of one certain person, I could have easily been one of those children in the early to mid 50's. "He will have a lot better life and more opportunities" That was one quote 8-) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 It didn't just happen to children from UK. A lot of indiginous children where taken and no doubt many met the same fate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul- Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I believe Barnado's shipped children to various countries so they could have a better life :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 pelmetman - 2013-01-13 3:29 PM As the kids involved are now in their 70's I suspect all the guilty parties are dead.......... the only winners of any action now would be the lawyers......and as usual thetaxpayer would get the bill *-) Spot On. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 A lot of these kids were orphans from the war and quite simply the government did not want to pay for their upkeep, the easiest and cheapest option was to ship them out to Australia and Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 pelmetman - 2013-01-13 3:29 PMRogerC - 2013-01-13 2:48 PMIt certainly was a despicable act by all concerned. Governments, organisations and individuals were involved and my question above was and is...where is the proportionality in cases like these? The Saville case has gone, to use the language of today, viral. The police, politicians and press are all over it like a rash but these thousands of children have to make do with an apology while those responsible seem to be getting off scot free. Literally tens of thousands of children were 'officially abducted' and placed in the care of others who in a great many cases physically, sexually and mentally abused them. So why why why has no one (apparently) been prosecuted? In my opinion an apology doesn't begin to address the wrongs done to these children. As the kids involved are now in their 70's I suspect all the guilty parties are dead.......... the only winners of any action now would be the lawyers......and as usual the taxpayer would get the bill *-) Not entirely true........this was still going on in the 1970's so there are a lot of people involved still in their 40's etc with a lot of those responsible for the abuse still around. IMO it has been 'covered up' with no prosecutions forthcoming because it would cause too much embarrassment to the governments, religious bodies and agencies involved wouldn't it. ....and of course we can't have that can we!! Potentially thousands of children abused in ways that defy understanding. The police do nothing and no one pays.........well that's alright then because a politician said sorry!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul- Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Please read this report from Barnados http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/who_we_are/history/family_history_service/family_history_service_our_service/child_migration.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Paul- - 2013-01-14 12:08 PM Please read this report from Barnados http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/who_we_are/history/family_history_service/family_history_service_our_service/child_migration.htm The report says nothing of what Barnardo's thinks of the exploitation and sexual abuse of children does it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I watched it last night ! what a disgrace that this could happen, my O.H and I just said There but for the grace of God go I !! and not all those children were orphans!! it sounded as if single mothers were victims of this cleansing process. :-S those children were used and abused as slave labor >:-( It makes me angry to think that this should have come to light years ago and those responsible punished !! but No yet again they have got off with it . What use is an apology to those that lost their childhood ?? >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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