Senate debates

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

60TH Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions

3:37 pm

Photo of Joe LudwigJoe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes the 60th anniversary of the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949;
(b)
congratulates the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for continuously fostering the principles of international humanitarian law to limit human suffering in times of armed conflict and to prevent atrocities, especially against civilian populations, the wounded and prisoners of war;
(c)
recalls Australia’s ratification of the Conventions and of the two Additional Protocols of 1977;
(d)
affirms all parliamentary measures taken in support of such ratification;
(e)
encourages the fullest implementation of the Conventions and Additional Protocols by the military forces and civilian organisations of all States;
(f)
encourages ratification by all nations of the Conventions and Additional Protocols; and
(g)
recognises the extraordinary contribution made by many individual Australians, including Australian Red Cross members, volunteers and staff, in carrying out the humanitarian ideals expressed in the Conventions and Additional Protocols.

Question agreed to.