Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes Australia's condemnation of the group responsible for the abduction of more than 200 school girls from Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria, and deep concern at reports of further abductions in north eastern Nigeria; and

(2) acknowledges that:

(a) the Australian government has made contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Canberra and the Nigerian government in Abuja to express concern;

(b) Australia:

  (i) is working with Nigeria on counter-terrorism to prevent attacks including the recent bombings that took place in Abuja and these abductions;

  (ii) has joined other members of the United Nations Security Council in condemning in the strongest terms the recent attacks committed by Boko Haram; and

  (iii) is strongly committed to empowering women and girls socially, politically and economically, by ending violence against women and girls, and improving access to health care and education; and

(c) the Australian government continues to advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Nigeria given the high threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping.

On 14 April this year more than 200 girls were abducted from a boarding school in Borno State in northern Nigeria. Regrettably, there have also been reports of further abductions in north-eastern Nigeria. On 5 May, the group known as Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the abductions. While some of the girls have managed to escape, the majority of the initial group is still being held and Boko Haram has threatened to sell the girls into slavery. Additional reports indicate that 11 more girls were abducted from Warabe, another village in Borno State, on 5 May 2014 by suspected Boko Haram gunmen. On 12 May a video released by Boko Haram showed more than 100 abducted girls, claiming that many had been converting to Islam. A person claiming to be the Boko Haram leader has offered to release the girls in exchange for all Boko Haram prisoners held by Nigeria.

No-one should be under any illusion that these abductions are anything other than acts of terrorism and the lowest form of cowardice and thuggery. In a country such as ours it is really difficult to conceptualise barbaric acts such as these, but I ask every member of this place to be mindful of the fact that every single one of these girls is someone's daughter, sister, cousin or friend. Every one of these girls has exactly the same right as any girl in Australia to live free of any oppression. For this reason, if no other, we must speak out against such atrocities.

This motion informs the House of Australia's response to this crisis thus far. The Australian government is deeply concerned for the welfare of more than 200 schoolchildren who were abducted. On 6 May the Hon. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs, issued a statement condemning Boko Haram. The minister expressed outrage at the threats against the welfare of these girls and pledged Australia's ongoing support to Nigeria on counter-terrorism. Australia has offered support to the Nigerian government through the Australian Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, Miles Armitage, and Australia's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jon Richardson. Australia welcomes the support pledged to Nigeria by the international community and will continue to work with the Nigerian government. Nigeria has welcomed Australia's support and we will continue to cooperate on counter-terrorism to prevent such attacks as this.

In this regard it should also be noted that Australia and Nigeria are founding members of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum. Past cooperation on counter-terrorism between Australia and Nigeria includes: in April 2014 Australia's, now former, CT ambassador attended the GCTF Sahel Working Group meeting in Morocco; and in March 2013 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade facilitated the visit to Australia by officials from Nigeria's Office of the National Security Adviser to learn about Australia's programs, including radicalisation in prisons. In 2013 DFAT contributed $30,000 to the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force for a workshop for Nigerian law enforcement officers on preventing and countering radicalisation and in June 2012 DFAT contributed US$31,000 to the International Organization for Migration to help fund a workshop on strengthening border management.

Australia joined other members of the United Nations Security Council on 14 April and 9 May 2014 in condemning in the strongest terms the attacks committed by the terrorist organisation Boko Haram. The United Nations Security Council's committee on al-Qaeda sanctions has blacklisted Boko Haram, with the entry describing Boko Haram as an affiliate of al-Qaeda and the Organisation of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. By adding Boko Haram to the United Nation's resolution 1267 al-Qaeda sanctions list, the UN Security Council has helped close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram and shown global unity against their savage actions. In addition, the Prime Minister announced on 14 May that Australia was moving urgently to commence the process of listing Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation. I note that this announcement was welcomed by the Leader of the Opposition. The Australian government also continues to advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Nigeria, given the very high level of threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping.

Regrettably, the pace of attacks by Boko Haram has escalated over the past few weeks. Recent attacks include: two car bombs detonated in a crowded marketplace in the city of Jos on 20 May 2014, killing at least 118 people and wounding dozens; a suicide car bombing on a popular street of restaurants and bars in the northern city of Kano on 18 May 2014, killing four; and the bombing of two bridges linking Borno state with neighbouring Adamawa state on 10 May 2014 and Cameroon on 8 May 2014. Press reporting speculates that these bombings were designed to hinder access by security forces. There was also an attack on Gamboru Ngala, a village on Nigeria's border with Cameroon, on 5 May 2014, causing at least 300 deaths, and bombings in Abuja on 1 May and 14 April 2014, killing 19 and 71 people respectively and injuring dozens more.

In terms of the Nigerian and international responses, on 4 May 2014 Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan, directed Nigeria's security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the schoolgirls. The Nigerian police have also offered a reward of 50 million naira—approximately $300,000—for information to rescue the girls. On 9 to 10 May the United States deployed a team to Nigeria that included State Department, FBI and Defense Department officials to assist with investigations, negotiations, intelligence and military planning. The US has confirmed it is flying manned surveillance aircraft over Nigeria and sharing commercial satellite imagery. The US team has been joined by teams of experts from France and Israel and a cross-agency team from the United Kingdom that includes officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the defence department and the Department for International Development. Canada has agreed to provide surveillance equipment operated by Canadians on the ground in Nigeria to assist. According to media reports, China has also agreed to make available information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services. In addition, Said Djinnit, appointed High-Level Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Nigeria, met President Jonathan on 15 May 2014 to discuss the United Nations' role in supporting efforts to return the abducted schoolgirls.

It is clear that the international community has also rallied against Boko Haram. It is most significant that, at the Paris Summit for Security in Nigeria hosted by French President François Hollande on Saturday 17 May, the presidents of Cameroon and Chad were both quoted in the media as saying that the summit represented a declaration of war on Boko Haram. These specific responses to the abhorrent actions of Boko Haram are part of a wider raft of actions being undertaken by the international community in addressing sexual violence against women and girls in areas of conflict. To this end the Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott-Despoja, will address Australia's approach to preventing and responding to a full range of sexually-violent acts at the upcoming Global Summit to End Sexual Violence In Conflict which will take place in London from 10-13 June.

Finally, while all of this information updates the House on the response of Australia and the international community, as the mother of a daughter myself I would like to offer my prayers to the girls' families and their loved ones. I cannot imagine the pain and anguish they are going through. My heart goes out to them and I pray for the girls' safe return.

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