Graves of aboriginal children in Catholic boarding schools still terrorizing Canada

Canada Even after they met almost six months ago it was still tumultuous, Remains of hundreds of children buried in Catholic boarding schools It was created over a century ago to forcibly unite the country’s tribal people.

Kamloops’ aboriginal community symbolizes corruption, Keep fighting to recover The search for more and more continues to identify victims.

For the first time since May, they were discovered Remains of more than 200 children The Prime Minister of the country, at a boarding school in British Columbia Justin Trudeau, Will visit the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc community on Monday.

Community leader Rosen Casimir told AFP that “old wounds have opened up” in recent months.

Anonymous Cemeteries

The discovery of the tombs confirmed what tribal communities had already imagined. For years they condemned the disappearance of thousands of children This is managed by state centers and by Catholic Church.

In the last few months, More than 1,000 anonymous graves have been discovered Near the former boarding schools, a dark chapter in Canadian history and a light on the policy of forcible integration of indigenous peoples.

“There was a lot of abuse and hunger” Evelyn Kamil, a school survivor at the country’s largest Kamloops school, told AFP.

The 82-year-old community elder was in tears as he spoke.

About 150,000 children Indians, Metis and Inuit went through 139 boarding schools in Canada from the late 19th century to the 1990s. Children spend months and even years isolated from their families, language and culture. Thousands of them did not return home.

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which ended in 2015, qualified this government policy “Cultural Genocide”

There are still many unanswered questions for Casimir: “Why hasn’t the government done anything yet? Why did it come to light now? Why do people ask today? “

The Catholic Church apologized Although the leaders of these communities ask that boarding should sing a mica gulpa, it is for the aboriginal people of Canada for the abuses that take place in boarding schools.

ID

Indigenous communities also demand the Canadian church and government Share all information Help identify children as school attendance records.

Camille said identifying the remains would bring peace to many families.

“It is very important to bring peace to different families”Camille agreed. “We hope that when the children lost their lives, their journey would not end and that their spirit was with the remnants.”

“They have been waiting there for a long time, and now that they have been found, we must first find out who they are.” Who are they? “.

Technology that confirmed the location of graves “It’s not like an X-ray. It doesn’t show bones, it’s bodies, “said Sarah Beaulieu, a Georadors expert on archeology.

The latter, carried out on an area of ​​0.8 ha, gave preliminary results. But 65 hectares are to be analyzed At Kamloops Boarding School.

Finding all the missing children can take “not just a year or two, but a long time,” Casimir said.

AFP Company

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