Hindus are supporting the demand of “Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada” for apology by Pope “for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Catholic-run residential schools”.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, agreed with the long awaited report released on June two of “Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada” that Canada government’s policy requiring the aboriginal children to attend state-mandated church-run boarding schools was a “cultural genocide”.

Over 150,000 aboriginal children, from 1883 until the last one closed in 1998, were reportedly dragged to these institutions; which was an intrusion and total disregard for the sanctity of the family, Zed who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated, calling it a “monumental injustice”.

Rajan Zed further said that Canada, instead of vague promises, should show strong political will and do something concrete to end the chaos and poverty in aboriginal communities today; and provide improved health care on reserves, close the education attainment gap between aboriginals and other Canadians, improve their social and economic well-being, impart them skills, invest in child welfare, preserve their various languages, end systematic discrimination and include in the curriculum of all K-12 grades of Canada the contributions of aboriginal people and injustices of residential schools. Moreover, Canada should wholeheartedly adopt United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Zed added.

Zed indicated that the aboriginal residential schools was a national shame and dark chapter for Canada and Canada had much work to do to restore trust of aboriginals and improve the deteriorating relationship between the Canadian government and aboriginal people.

Rajan Zed pointed out that it was immoral for Canada to steal the childhood of these children forced into residential schools and subject them to a loveless life full of loneliness.

  apology, catholic church, first nation, first people, genocide, indian, inuit, metis, pope, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada