Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stott Despoja for the question. There is no doubt that we all watch with great dismay the very serious matters in Darfur. Can I just say on behalf of the government as a starting point—I will go through what the government is doing in relation to this matter—that we welcome the UN Security Council’s resolution 1706 of 31 August, last month, calling for the transition of the African Union Mission in Sudan, or AMIS, to a UN force by no later than 31 December 2006. So at least we do have a focus on how we might assist more effectively in getting a handle on this terrible problem. We reject the government of Sudan’s demand that AMIS troops withdraw from Darfur and that they not be supported by the UN and we call, as a government, on the government of Sudan to accept the UN peacekeepers in Darfur. We call on the international community to continue to urge the government of Sudan to accept the transition of AMIS to a UN force. The government is very concerned by reports that Sudanese government forces are involved in bombing villages in north Darfur and that the entire Darfur humanitarian operation, to which Senator Stott Despoja alludes—and hundreds of thousands of more lives—are at risk.

Since the signing of the peace agreement on 5 May 2006, attacks against humanitarian workers have persisted while access for humanitarian operations is at its lowest since the conflict began in 2003. So I will say in response to Senator Stott Despoja that we have translated our concerns over Darfur into action. Since May 2004, the Australian government has provided $52.6 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan, mostly to Darfur, including the announcement just on 1 September of another $5 million for the World Food Program in Darfur and a further $510,000 for AUSTCARE in both Darfur and southern Sudan. It seems to the government that, with the current state of affairs and with the aid we have given, it is premature for us to be commenting on a possible Australian contribution in Darfur. We would have to assess any formal request against our existing contribution in Sudan and our extensive commitments elsewhere. Having said all that, I can assure Senator Stott Despoja that this government takes a very close interest in the unfolding events, and we will do whatever we can to work with all the agencies to ensure that the humanitarian effort—we are making a very extensive humanitarian effort—meets the targets and meets the needs.