House debates

Tuesday, 16 November 2010

Constituency Statements

Iraq

4:09 pm

Photo of Chris BowenChris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | | Hansard source

It is my honour, Mr Deputy Speaker. Thank you very much. I rise today to condemn in the strongest possible terms recent acts of violence in Iraq against Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs and Christian minorities. I have spoken many times in the House over the years about this issue, moved motions, tabled petitions and organised the Assyrian Parliamentary Friendship Group. I am glad my honourable friend the member for Fowler is here. He has also been very vocal and supportive on this issue.

It pains me to report to the House that there have been recent events causing great concern. For example, I am advised that on 31 October, at Our Lady of Salvation church, gunmen took close to 100 hostages. They were stormed by Iraqi antiterrorist forces; 30 hostages and seven security officers were killed.

Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriacs have inhabited Iraq for 2,000 years, and it is appropriate that they be able to continue to do so. This is a matter I have discussed with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the previous Minister for Foreign Affairs and I have taken delegations of Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriacs to see both men. In particular, the previous minister, the member for Perth, allocated a substantial fund of foreign aid to assist minority groups in Iraq. I am glad to have received reports from the Assyrian and Chaldean community that that aid is flowing and that they have received updates from AusAID on that work. The current Minister for Foreign Affairs is somebody who has taken a long interest in this matter. When he was shadow minister for foreign affairs, I took delegations of Assyrians and Chaldeans and His Grace Bishop Kassab, the bishop of the Chaldean community in Australia, to see him. As recently as today I discussed with him the recent events in Iraq and the suffering of Christians in Iraq.

The purpose of this speech today is simply to let Christians in Iraq know that they have friends in this House, on both sides of the chamber, who do not fail to acknowledge their suffering and who send their messages of support as they go through this suffering and, more than that, send messages of material aid and comfort. We hope that they continue to live in Iraq peacefully and happily, as they have done for the last 2,000 years.

Photo of Ms Anna BurkeMs Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

I am sure all honourable members would echo the sentiments of the minister.