Ongoing obstacles to the full realization of indigenous peoples’ rights; vision for the mandate 2014, para. 28

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Paragraph text: There is no one path or fast track towards reconciliation, and the history and context in each country will necessarily make responses different. However, the process generally includes a first step of acknowledging a history of wrongdoing. In some countries, reconciliation efforts have included a formal apology to indigenous peoples for past wrongdoing or particularly egregious human rights violations. For example, in 2008 the Government of Australia issued a formal apology to aboriginal peoples, "for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss" and in particular for "the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country". Similarly, in 2008 in Canada, the Government apologized to aboriginal peoples for its role in the Indian Residential Schools system, recognizing that "the absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation". Other States that have issued formal apologies are the United States with regard to historical suffering inflicted upon Native Americans; Norway and Sweden, with respect to past treatment of the Sami peoples; and New Zealand, where formal apologies often form part of negotiated settlement agreements under the Treaty of Waitangi.

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Reference: SR Indigenous Peoples, Report to the HRC (2014), A/HRC/27/52, para. 28.