Iran: World did not forget graves of indigenous children in Canada

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Oct 2022 14:14
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The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the world has not forgotten the sad narratives of the forced separation of indigenous children from their families in Canada.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani considered Thursday that when human rights become a tool to exert political pressure on others, the media empire of the arrogant system helps those accused of systematic violation of human rights to stand in the position of the plaintiff.

In a post on Instagram, Kanaani pointed out that the world has not forgotten the sad narratives of the forced separation of more than 150,000 indigenous children from their families and the scandal of discovering the mass graves of hundreds of these children in Canada's "residential schools" last year.

The Iranian spokesperson underscored that fabricating allegations against other countries and hiding behind them does not change the fact that willingness for child killing and disrespect for humanity is in the essence of one of the US closest allies.

This comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in late September that his country will impose sanctions on Iranian individuals, as well as the country’s morality police, holding it responsible for the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

"Today, we will implement sanctions on dozens of individuals and entities, including Iran's so-called 'morality police'. This is in addition to some of the toughest measures so far of any country towards Iran," Trudeau told reporters.

It is noteworthy that from the late 1800s to the 1990s, approximately 150,000 First Nations, Metis, and Inuit children were enrolled in 139 residential schools across Canada as part of a government policy of forced assimilation. The last residential school was closed in 1996, which is merely 25 years ago.

Individuals forced into residential schools were snatched away from their families, language, and culture for months or years, and many were physically and sexually abused by headmasters and teachers.

They were not allowed to speak their native tongue or dress the native way. Their hair, an important element for Canadian Indigenous peoples, was cut because the clergy was aware of that significance. Residential schools were a space for forced assimilation and a tool of ethnic cleansing.