Indigenous Australians call for a week of silence after historic referendum fails

Australian Indigenous leaders are calling for a week of silence after a referendum to recognize Indigenous people in the constitution failed.

Every state and mainland territory except the Australian Capital Territory rejected the measure to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, an advisory body, in the constitution. More than 60 percent of voters opposed the measure, but it was largely more popular among Indigenous Australians.

The Indigenous people of Australia are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They make up about 3.8 percent of the population, but Australia has not formally recognized or reached a treaty with them.

Supporters of the referendum were flying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags at half-staff across Australia on Sunday to symbolize their disappointment. Reuters reported that the Indigenous leaders are calling for a week of silence in the wake of the failed proposal.

“This is a bitter irony,” the Indigenous leaders said in a statement, according to Reuters. “That people who have only been on this continent for 235 years would refuse to recognize those whose home this land has been for 60,000 and more years is beyond reason.”

Opposition leader Peter Dutton led a “no” campaign on the referendum, arguing that it would divide Australians.

“This is the referendum that Australia did not need to have. The proposal and the process should have been designed to unite Australians, not to divide us,” Dutton said.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government would explore other ways of improving the lives of Indigenous people in comments made after the referendum failed.

“In terms of exactly what the precise steps forward are from here is a matter that we need to take some time to work through, and I think people can understand that,” Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp, according to The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed.

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