ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | May 29, 2021
Natagpuan sa dating residential school para sa mga indigenous children ang 215 bangkay ng mga bata sa Canada noong Biyernes.
Ayon sa Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc community, ang mga bata ay estudyante ng Kamloops Indian Residential School sa British Columbia at natagpuan umano ang bangkay ng mga ito sa tulong ng ground-penetrating radar specialist.
Pahayag ni Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir, “This past weekend, with the help of a ground penetrating radar specialist, the stark truth of the preliminary findings came to light — the confirmation of the remains of 215 children who were students of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
“To our knowledge, these missing children are undocumented deaths.”
Noong 19th century nagsimula ang operasyon ng Kamloops Indian Residential School na isa sa pinakamalalaking paaralan sa Canada.
Noong 2015, sa inilabas na ulat ng Truth and Reconciliation Commission ng Canada, napag-alaman na puwersahang inihiwalay sa kanilang pamilya ang libu-libong indigenous children.
Nakaranas din umano ng physical, sexual, at emotional na pang-aabuso ang mga bata sa ipinatupad na sistema ng edukasyon sa naturang residential school.
Pahayag naman ni Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “The news that remains were found at the former Kamloops residential school breaks my heart – it is a painful reminder of that dark and shameful chapter of our country’s history. I am thinking about everyone affected by this distressing news. We are here for you.”