How Can a Broken Life Be Made Whole?

Australia’s Aborigines have renewed calls for official recognition of past injustices after a court awarded one of their own nearly $450,000 for having been taken from his family 50 years ago.

In a landmark ruling this week, Bruce Trevorrow received the money in compensation and damages for being taken from his mother as a baby and, without her consent, given to a white foster parent.

Reconciliation Australia, set up to promote better relations between Aborigines and white Australians, said the case highlighted the need for proper recognition and compensation for the so-called stolen generation of Aborigines.

Said Barbara Livesey, the organizations chief executive:

"It is preferable, morally and financially, to face up to mistakes as a nation, rather than watching from the sidelines as they're tossed around in costly, adversarial court proceedings."

Australia's conservative government has steadfastly refused to apologize officially for the policies of previous governments. Only the island state of Tasmania has set up a fund to compensate stolen generation members.

But can a long broken life be made whole with money?

More here.