In the 19 sixties and 19 seventies, the French government took away nearly 2000 Children from the island of Reunion.

That's one of France's overseas territories in the Indian Ocean.

Their plan was to repopulate rural areas of mainland France, and the Children were promised education and opportunity.

Instead, many injured years of mistreatment.

Now reunions generation of stolen Children want the French government to pay damages for their suffering.

Even at the age of 75 in Melbourne, Wataru still bears the deep scars left by his youth.

The government took him away from his family at the age of nine as part of a resettlement programme.

He was first sent to various Children's homes on the island of Reunion.

On a film we weren't allowed to say or do anything.

We had to follow the supervisor's orders.

If we didn't, they hit us.

They made us do hard labor.

At one point we had to carry buckets of cement on our heads and pour them onto a slab to build a swimming pool somewhere.

The walls around the homes were 4 m high.

We weren't allowed to go out or to see our families.

He was told he would be taken to mainland France.

But it took another nine years, and instead of getting a good education there, as promised, he had to work as a farm hand.

We had to milk the cows, clean the pig pens, plant and harvest beetroot and potatoes.

The farmers had been told we were dangerous, that we were murderous in thieves.

They didn't trust us and treated us like slaves.

So they hit us at the slightest excuse about you.

See is a department topping.

He was finally freed at the age of 21 managed to set up a business as a painter.

He tried to forget his past as best he could.

Up until a few years ago, when he met his partner, Marie Ju, she insisted he needed to find his roots.

He's 75 now.

He has lived most of his life, but I hope he still has much longer to live at least 10 or 15 years, and I want him to be happy.

During that time, she searched for months, sent hundreds of emails and managed to get one spectacular result.

She found a meals older sister Marie, who lives on Reunion they talk to each other daily.

I was always hoping to find him and never gave up my search.

Now he's too far away from me.

I want him to come back here.

Yeah, no man is assigned.

A lawyer from UM in 2014, France officially acknowledged its moral responsibility towards the so called Children of the cruise.

The Ministry of the Overseas told us that they plan to teach these Children's history at school, but a meal is hoping for more.

We are asking for damages.

That's perfectly reasonable.

They have done us harm.

If I had robbed or killed someone, I would also be punished.

Even though money will not write the wrong they have done to us, it's like losing a leg.

You'll never get it back.

But previous claims for compensation were dismissed due to the statute of limitations.

Emil will keep looking for his happiness.