Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a statement in relation to general business notice of motion No. 349, standing in my name, of yesterday.

Leave granted.

Yesterday I moved in the Senate a motion relating to the war in Sri Lanka. However, I failed to amend it, as requested by I think the opposition and the government. I seek leave to amend it in the terms circulated and to then put the motion again.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a)

expresses its concern about the high number of civilian deaths and injuries that have occurred as a result of people being caught in the crossfire of Sri Lanka’s civil war;

(b)

supports calls on all parties from the United Nations, the Red Cross and Amnesty International to ensure the safety of civilians in war-torn areas and their safe passage out of those areas;

(c)

supports calls on all parties to ensure humanitarian aid is delivered to civilians in the conflict zone and journalists be permitted to report freely; and

(d)

welcomes the call of the Tokyo Co-Chairs (Norway, Japan, United States of America and the European Union) for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to discuss with the Sri Lankan Government how to end hostilities.

Question agreed to.