Australia in back lane.

 

If not for the dreaded wars that have agonizingly pulled in everyone's attention and concern, the following event in Australia would have hovered over the media, as headline news. What Australia has done recently is, in my opinion, wrong in these modern times. 

On October 14, the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with some optimism, held a referendum on recognizing the constitution of the indigenious people of Australia, the natives who had been in Australia for more than 60,000 years; about 4% or 26 million of them now. Significantly, it was only in 1788 the ancestors of the present Australians settled in the land. They came as convicts exiled from the British Isles. Gradually, the British colonialised the land. In January 1901, the six British colonies united and became one Commonwealth of Australia with British approval, and later, in March 1986, Australia legally  gained independence from Britain.

Of the people who took part in the referendum, most said 'no' to the indigenous people being acknowledged and validated properly, of their existence, in the constitution. What a disappointing reaction! Other countries are bending backwards to get their natives of the lands to come into the society, so that they, too, can  be helped to experience the benefits that the citizens are getting. But in Australia, 'no'. The Australians feel that recognizing the natives into the constitution  will later on bring all sorts of problems. Of course, the natives will demand equal rights and other benefits, and the government will have to look into them. The Australians are afraid that their well-being could be compromised in some way. But what is ironic is that the natives could enrol as voters and vote! Selfish and absurd, is it not? For a nation that calls itself well advanced!

My hats off to USA and UK, where the natives and other ethnic minority are recognized and can be elected to the highest post of the nation! Who can forget Barrack Obama and now  Rishi Sunak. Then, there is Kamala Devi Harris, for  good measure! How gracious and civilized the citizens of these nations are! Their nations are the real advanced ones - advanced in thinking and action, of matureness. 

Who knows, Australia could be like them, someday, it too, being controlled by the white majority. I hope it is soon.