Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I want to briefly raise a few matters of international concern. Firstly, I want to express sorrow at the ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan that have caused some 300,000 Uzbeks to be internally displaced while another 100,000 have fled to Uzbekistan as refugees. It is estimated that 2,000 people have died so far and there have been reports of sexual violence and widespread destruction of property. I hope the international community, including Australia, will generously support humanitarian assistance as well as an independent investigation into the events.

Secondly, I note the Israeli government’s announcement that it will ease the blockade it has imposed on Gaza since June 2007. This decision is welcome in light of the enormous suffering that the blockade has caused the civilian population in Gaza, 80 per cent of whom are reliant on food aid. I note further the establishment of an Israeli investigation commission into the raid on the Gaza flotilla that left nine people dead. Concerns have been expressed that the commission’s work may suffer from a lack of transparency, access to information and enforceability. Nevertheless it is to be hoped the investigation will lead to a credible and a satisfactory explanation of the shocking events of 31 May. The world is watching with interest.

Thirdly, I refer to the welcome visit to Australia this week of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. I hope the Australian government will take the opportunity of Mr Xi’s visit to raise, among other things, the issue of Tibet and humans rights issues within China.

Finally, it is extremely concerning that the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues largely unabated. It is imperative that we learn the lessons from this environmental and economic disaster and ensure it cannot be repeated here in Australia.