Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate. This motion, as senators may be aware, is congratulating the government, which is something that happens all too rare in this place for obvious reasons. In this case, quite unambiguously, the government has taken quite an important lead internationally on Burma’s foreign policy. The Greens and the Burmese pro-democracy movement in exile and within that country have been calling for a very long period for an investigation into possible options for the establishment of a United Nations commission of inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma. Overnight, the Australian government has indicated that it will support possible options for such a commission of inquiry. That is to be welcomed unconditionally. We have been calling for this move for quite some time. In the UN Human Rights Commission, a report was tabled overnight. The progress report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar noted :

... a pattern of gross and systematic violation of human rights that has been in place for many years.

               …            …            …

Given the gross and systematic nature of human rights violations in Myanmar over a period of many years, and the lack of accountability, there is an indication that those human rights violations are the result of a State policy that involves authorities in the executive, military and judiciary at all levels.

The government needs to take prompt and effective measures to investigate these facts. I am pleased to be standing in the chamber today to acknowledge that the government has taken that step. These moves are all too rare. It puts us in a position of taking international leadership. I commend this motion to the Senate.

Question agreed to.