Australia has now made arrangements to hold a special referendum. It is a special matter to hold this for the rights of the indigenous people who have been suffering from oppression and contempt for tens of thousands of years.
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the indigenous peoples of Australia. Archaeologists and historians have shown that they are people groups who migrated to Australia from the African region and settled in Asia. According to those reports, they migrated to Australia 65,000-70,000 years ago. However, later these aboriginal people groups who have managed to enter their life journey under a high standard of living such as agriculture have established their settlements in 280 islands belonging to Australia. Historians have also shown that they have been living peacefully and building a cultural environment.
However, the period 1788 – 1790 was a bitter and cruel experience for the Aborigines and the Torres Straits people. It was due to British invasion. The invasion had turned out to be a very inhumane and genocidal invasion. Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander people were massacred during this invasion led by Arthur Philip. In this, they became an insecure nation, and the population also fell drastically. Although a few people tried to save their lives by fleeing to the forested islands, history proves that most of them died of starvation due to lack of food.
Then a different situation arose. The British invaders who stopped the killing took over the tribal people and established their rights. Around 1900, the Australian government was also accused of destroying Aboriginal culture by forcibly capturing Aboriginal children, teaching them English and making them live according to their cultural characteristics. In this too, a great damage was done to the tribal heritage.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have not had an easy time in Australia so far. Even today they are treated as third class citizens. However, they were strong enough to fight according to the strategies of the developed world to assert their rights. Accordingly, the aborigines and the people living in the Torres Straits have the right to vote because of the independence of the British colonial countries. Accordingly, the Australian government also had to take a decision regarding the rights of the aborigines, and as a result, they got the right to vote in 1967.
However, the struggle of the Australian Aboriginal people to win their demands did not end there. The indigenous were powerfully organised in this regard. As a result, an organisation named “voice of indigenous ” was established, and they were able to formally launch the fight to win their rights through it. The aboriginal leaders who continued to emphasise that they are the first ethnic group in the Australian region were able to make it more clear to the world by launching various agitations, dialogues and peaceful demonstrations.
In 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd publicly apologised for the injustices that have happened to the indigenous people, and the prime minister’s statement to strengthen the fight to win rights and get international support for it was a great strength for the indigenous people. Right now, its peak has been created, the right to get health facilities, the right to get education and the right to engage in employment based on qualifications have been transformed into their strong demands. They also demand the right to enjoy housing, land rights, freedom and democracy. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders make the point that their people have missed opportunities to move forward with the world. They point out that Australian politics and governments are responsible for this and that the global outlook and attitudes towards their people caused their decline. In this situation, their people, the Australian aborigines, have not been comforted and they have been subjected to severe oppression, discomfort and violence and cultural decline for hundreds of years.
The Australian government has not been able to remain silent regarding the ongoing aboriginal protests, and has had to listen carefully to it. It is in that situation that the people’s opinion has to be asked regarding the recognition of the Aborigines and the Torres Straits people as the first people of Australia. The Australian government has planned to hold a referendum for that, and it is scheduled to be held on the 14th. The whole people will be asked whether they are willing to give the recognition for the indigenous people or not. Constitutionally, if the majority consent is expressed for it, the Australian Constitution will have to be amended accordingly.
“Referendum” is a hot topic in Australian politics. Australia became a federal state in 1901. Since then, the number of referendums held for constitutional changes is 44. However, people’s approval has been received only in 08 referendums amongst them. Some reports indicate that referendums and There is not much interest in voting in the Australian society. As non-voting is a matter of being fined, it can be seen in some reports that even if the people of the country are going to vote, it cannot be guaranteed that it will be done with real understanding. The last referendum was held in 1999 to decide whether or not Australia should become a republic. However, it was not approved by the people.
Meanwhile, the mere majority of votes does not lead to the passing of the referendum. For that, different concepts are implemented in the Australian voting system. Accordingly, to pass a referendum, the state of Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, and Queensland will be particularly considered. Accordingly, for a referendum to be passed, the majority of four states must have voted in favour of it. If the majority of the people of four states do not vote in favour, it will not be passed even if the majority of all the states have voted in favour.
However, the Australian as well as the rest of the world’s indigenous peoples and human democrats have focused on this referendum, which is being held for the struggle to win their rights. Some commentators point out that this referendum is the most important political factor in a world that is more interested in human democracy. Human democrats are of the opinion that the rights of not only Australian but all indigenous groups of the world should be confirmed. However, different opinions are being created in the Australian political groups regarding the granting of rights to the aborigines, and some have pointed out that such proposals will lead to the division of the country. But another group of people is of the opinion that giving the same rights to all parts will lead to the united existence of the country.
