Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

First, I congratulate the member for Brisbane for this raising this private members' motion on Nigeria. I also commend the member for Canberra. This is a very important debate, and hers was an admirable speech. I thank the opposition for seconding the motion, but I do not thank the seconder for her speech. It was absolutely appalling on a matter of such sensitivity to make it a speech about alleged cutbacks in relation to foreign aid—and then to leave in the way in which she did disappointed me enormously.

I regard this matter as a matter that impacts upon us all. It is not a women's issue, it is not an issue for girls; it is an issue for us all. It is very important that we understand the nature of what is occurring here, and I want to put it in context first. This is an extremist organisation that happens to be Islamic. I do not blame all Muslims for an extremist organisation, but I am going to say something about the organisation, because it is abhorrent. But it is clear that Muslims generally are law-abiding, respectful people, as much concerned as all of us about what is happening.

This motion deals with the condemnation of the group responsible for the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria and reports that further abductions are planned. It acknowledges what we here in Australia have done and the way in which we are working on counter-terrorism; that we have joined with other members of the UN Security Council; that we are committed to empowering women and girls, socially, politically and economically by ending violence against women and girls; and that the government continues to advise Australians about the need for caution. Since this motion was first proposed we have now moved to proscribe this body, Boko Haram, as a terrorist organisation.

This organisation's aim is to revive a medieval Islamic state in order Nigeria. The country has 170 million people and it is split roughly between Christians and Muslims. Boko Haram's origins stem from several militant Islamic groups which formed in Nigeria originally referred to as the 'Nigerian Taliban'. There is no suggestion that they are linked to the Taliban, but it is the case that is organisation, initially formed in 1995 by Abubakar Lawan, was overtaken when the shura, their council or scholars, elected Mohammad Yusuf is its leader. He ousted others and gave it a much more radical profile. He accused those who had been before as being corrupt in not preaching pure Islam. The group became operationally active in December 2003 and operate under the name Boko Haram, meaning 'Western civilisation and is sinful and forbidden' in the local Hausa dialect.

It is it is estimated in the last five years that it has murdered over 4,000 people—and, of course, now, has kidnapped this large number of students. They have inflicted on Nigeria a very, very unfortunate outcome, and it is something that the world community needs to be responsive to and to support Nigeria as it endeavours to work this matter through. I welcome the fact that the UN has been active in relation to this matter. It has also proscribed the organisation as a terrorist body and I welcome the fact that other governments have been active in supporting Nigeria in the way forward and particularly to look at how they can use the information they receive about terrorism to help. Nigeria needs help and support at this time and Australia is very active in relation to it. I think it is appropriate that the parliament should support this motion moved by the member for Brisbane, which properly draws our attention to this very significant question.

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