Reconciliations and apologies have eased many painful memories of the past. Among wrongs that still sting are deportations, civil wars, and the building of a temple. This is what Epoch Times reporters from Slovakia to the United Kingdom discovered when they asked locals: “What past wrongs has your country done that need to be reconciled?”
Bzenec, Czech Republic
Tomas Tesarik, 63, Businessman
There was a deportation of Germans after WWII, which was totally uncontrolled, without any rules. Basically, there was a lot of hatred toward all Germans without exception regardless of whether they were fighting for or against us, but many Germans were helping us, participating in the resistance groups, fighting against Hitler. However, they deported them all regardless.
Tomas Tesarik, 63, Businessman
There was a deportation of Germans after WWII, which was totally uncontrolled, without any rules. Basically, there was a lot of hatred toward all Germans without exception regardless of whether they were fighting for or against us, but many Germans were helping us, participating in the resistance groups, fighting against Hitler. However, they deported them all regardless.
São Paulo, Brazil
Guilherme Campano, 21, Marine Science Student
In my opinion, the biggest mistake made in Brazil that would need a big apology was the deprivation of education for their people. In times of elections, people have no interest and no political conscience, and live this way because we never had incentives in education and we were never taught to think for ourselves. Long ago, some governor thought about how to control people and had the bright idea of not offering education to people, so they could have more control over them. And that is the greatest violence that we have suffered from colonization until the present day.
Guilherme Campano, 21, Marine Science Student
In my opinion, the biggest mistake made in Brazil that would need a big apology was the deprivation of education for their people. In times of elections, people have no interest and no political conscience, and live this way because we never had incentives in education and we were never taught to think for ourselves. Long ago, some governor thought about how to control people and had the bright idea of not offering education to people, so they could have more control over them. And that is the greatest violence that we have suffered from colonization until the present day.
Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Helen Carter, 38, Project Manager
The question supposes that as a country we are not continuing to wrong other parts of the world. I feel impatient with reconciliation. It’s not something in the past that we have the time and resources to indulge in. We don’t have that luxury. I feel particularly strongly about inequalities in trade, the exploitation of other nations economically—addressing this would mean so much more to those communities than a high-profile apology.
Helen Carter, 38, Project Manager
The question supposes that as a country we are not continuing to wrong other parts of the world. I feel impatient with reconciliation. It’s not something in the past that we have the time and resources to indulge in. We don’t have that luxury. I feel particularly strongly about inequalities in trade, the exploitation of other nations economically—addressing this would mean so much more to those communities than a high-profile apology.
Hope Island, Australia
Jeanette de Berry, 61, Director
When Paul Keating was in power, he made a terrible statement, which impacted on a lot of Malaysian people. He called the then-prime minister, Mr. Mahathir, a “recalcitrant.” It created such an impact. We were expatriates over there, and it made life very difficult for us. All the local people used to abuse us in the streets. Oh, it was terrible. We got a real lot of bad publicity in Kuala Lumpur from that. He said it on the news, on Channel 9 news and it went all the way overseas. … I don’t think it’s ever been apologized for.
Jeanette de Berry, 61, Director
When Paul Keating was in power, he made a terrible statement, which impacted on a lot of Malaysian people. He called the then-prime minister, Mr. Mahathir, a “recalcitrant.” It created such an impact. We were expatriates over there, and it made life very difficult for us. All the local people used to abuse us in the streets. Oh, it was terrible. We got a real lot of bad publicity in Kuala Lumpur from that. He said it on the news, on Channel 9 news and it went all the way overseas. … I don’t think it’s ever been apologized for.
Bratislava, Slovakia
Lubica Husarova, 43, Economist
I feel that all the bad deeds that Slovakia has ever committed occurred just inside our country and they were Slovak citizens who suffered from them. It was due to the attitude of people who had the power at that time, which caused the suffering of innocent people. I mean the events of 1939—deportation of Jews … [and] fabricated lawsuits to consolidate power during the communist government, supported by Stalin. I didn’t live at that time, but the available literature and documentaries provide clear evidence of those events, which I feel very bad about.
Lubica Husarova, 43, Economist
I feel that all the bad deeds that Slovakia has ever committed occurred just inside our country and they were Slovak citizens who suffered from them. It was due to the attitude of people who had the power at that time, which caused the suffering of innocent people. I mean the events of 1939—deportation of Jews … [and] fabricated lawsuits to consolidate power during the communist government, supported by Stalin. I didn’t live at that time, but the available literature and documentaries provide clear evidence of those events, which I feel very bad about.
Wellington, New Zealand
Chad Stevens, 31, Retail Manager
I think there are certain things that have happened in the past with regards to the land wars when settlers came in. There’s certainly some things that need to be addressed. But looking back on things now, they need to try and get factual information about what happened, and what was agreed and wasn’t agreed with the Waitangi tribunal and treaty claims, and all that sort of thing. But I think to a certain extent, there has to be a level of understanding from the governmental side, as certain things were signed under an understanding that perhaps was different than what was originally meant to be conveyed.
Chad Stevens, 31, Retail Manager
I think there are certain things that have happened in the past with regards to the land wars when settlers came in. There’s certainly some things that need to be addressed. But looking back on things now, they need to try and get factual information about what happened, and what was agreed and wasn’t agreed with the Waitangi tribunal and treaty claims, and all that sort of thing. But I think to a certain extent, there has to be a level of understanding from the governmental side, as certain things were signed under an understanding that perhaps was different than what was originally meant to be conveyed.
Canary Islands, Spain
May Guasch, 62, Housewife
In relation to ourselves as a country, I think that the civil war between years 1936 and 1939 still need to be reconciled, since every now and then you can see in the press, in magazines, or on television, serious, angry discussions between followers of one or other of the two factions that fought on the civil war. And this seems incredible to me since so many years have passed by, and so many efforts have been done to close the wounds—psychological or physical—that were produced.
May Guasch, 62, Housewife
In relation to ourselves as a country, I think that the civil war between years 1936 and 1939 still need to be reconciled, since every now and then you can see in the press, in magazines, or on television, serious, angry discussions between followers of one or other of the two factions that fought on the civil war. And this seems incredible to me since so many years have passed by, and so many efforts have been done to close the wounds—psychological or physical—that were produced.
Biella, Italy
Giovanna Beccaria, 57, Retired Bank Clerk
There were large cracks and large ideological clashes that have separated the Italians. I recall the climate that led to the Red Brigades, [a terrorist organization against the state in the seventies], great oppositions, the concept of having to turn it all around, the violence at all costs. Now, the great hostility and conflicts of the past have been conciliated. Now there is a normal dialectic opposition. There is communion of thought between people about the important things, and negative ones have been repudiated.
Giovanna Beccaria, 57, Retired Bank Clerk
There were large cracks and large ideological clashes that have separated the Italians. I recall the climate that led to the Red Brigades, [a terrorist organization against the state in the seventies], great oppositions, the concept of having to turn it all around, the violence at all costs. Now, the great hostility and conflicts of the past have been conciliated. Now there is a normal dialectic opposition. There is communion of thought between people about the important things, and negative ones have been repudiated.
Bangalore, India
Elizabeth Jose Thomas, Associate Professor of History
I think the worst mistake that we could have committed has to be the building of the temple at Ayodhya [the birth place of the Hindu god, Lord Ram] by bringing down a Masjidh. It has caused a religious divide in our country, between the Hindus and the Muslims, who were once at peace. The area could have been made an historical monument, and hence in this way protected both the parties’ interests. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and I do believe this is something that could’ve been handled in a much better way.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “What do you think you can do to contribute to world peace?”
Elizabeth Jose Thomas, Associate Professor of History
I think the worst mistake that we could have committed has to be the building of the temple at Ayodhya [the birth place of the Hindu god, Lord Ram] by bringing down a Masjidh. It has caused a religious divide in our country, between the Hindus and the Muslims, who were once at peace. The area could have been made an historical monument, and hence in this way protected both the parties’ interests. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and I do believe this is something that could’ve been handled in a much better way.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “What do you think you can do to contribute to world peace?”
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