Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Watt, move:

That the Senate—

(a) remains extremely troubled by the continuing conflict between minorities, including Rohingya Muslims, and armed forces in Myanmar's Rakhine State since 25 August 2017, that has:

  (i) caused the death and suffering of many people, almost all of them minorities in Rakhine State,

  (ii) forced more than 600 000 members of minorities in Rakhine State to flee to Bangladesh since 25 August 2017, and displaced large numbers of people within Rakhine State, the majority of whom are Rohingya Muslims, and

  (iii) prevented access of United Nations (UN) and non-government organisation (NGO) aid agencies to deliver crucial supplies of food, water and medicine in northern Rakhine State;

(b) notes that:

  (i) most of those fleeing have few possessions and are reliant on humanitarian aid for their survival, and almost 70 per cent are children and women,

  (ii) since 25 August 2017, the Australian Government has committed $30 million to assist those fleeing their homes, and

  (iii) Australia is currently the third largest bilateral donor to the UN 'Bangladesh: Rohingya Refugee Crisis 2017' appeal;

(c) further notes that:

  (i) the UN has stated that this crisis "is causing suffering on a catastrophic scale" and more aid assistance is needed,

  (ii) the Australian Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are urgently seeking donations from the Australian public to help provide these desperate people with medical assistance, shelter, food and clean drinking water,

  (iii) each dollar donated in Australia for UNHCR and Australian Red Cross during the appeal will be matched by the Australian Government (up to $5 million),

  (iv) Oxfam, CARE, Caritas, Plan International Australia, Save the Children and World Vision are also playing a vital role in response to the crisis, including delivering programs on behalf of the Australian Government through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, and have joined the Australian Government's appeal for funding, and

  (v) other Australian humanitarian agencies are also running appeals in response to the crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, including Act for Peace, ActionAid, Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Anglican Overseas Aid, Child Fund, Muslim Aid Australia, Partners Relief and Development, RedR Australia, TEAR Australia, UNICEF Australia, UnitingWorld and the Anglican Board of Mission; and

(d) urges:

  (i) Australians who wish to donate to Australian NGOs and humanitarian agencies to visit the appeal websites, which can be accessed via http://www.abc.net.au/appeals/ ,

  (ii) the Turnbull Government to continue to monitor the situation, in close consultation with partners, and consider providing further assistance to those displaced by the violence in Rakhine State, and

  (iii) the Government of Myanmar to:

     (A) recommit to the pursuit of peace and national reconciliation,

     (B) allow access to all parts of Rakhine State to allow for the provision of humanitarian aid, and

     (C) allow all those who have fled to Bangladesh to be able to exercise their right to a safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return to their homes.

Question agreed to.