Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. In fact, I am delighted to support the member for Fowler's motion condemning the Daesh campaign of war crimes and genocide against Christians, Assyrians, Mandaeans, Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria and commending those nations that continue to support the people who are fleeing the violence.

Since 2014 the so-called Islamic state, or Daesh, has been carrying out a campaign of terror against various ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq in Syria. There is clear evidence, over and over again now, of mass murders, torture, systemic rape, kidnapping, sexual enslavement and a series of other crimes. As the member for Fowler pointed out, a number of parliaments and government agencies have declared the actions of Daesh to be genocide. These include the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria, the United States Congress, the US State Department, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the UK House of Commons and the French Foreign Ministry.

The UN Human Rights Council has also condemned the systemic violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the so-called Islamic State. On 13 March 2015 the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that:

It is reasonable to conclude in the light of the information gathered overall, that some of these incidents may constitute genocide. Other incidents may amount to crimes against humanity or war crimes.

On 16 June 2016, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria concluded that ISIL is committing genocide against Yazidis:

ISIS has committed the crime of genocide as well as multiple crimes against humanity and war crimes against the Yazidis, thousands of whom are held captive in the Syrian Arab Republic where they are subject to the most unimaginable horrors.

Indeed, a series of other reports have come to a similar conclusion.

As the honourable member for Fowler pointed out, there have been motions and resolutions from a range of jurisdictions around the world. I will quote from one or two of them. The United Kingdom House of Commons motion said:

That this House believes that Christians, Yazidis, and other ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria are suffering Genocide at the hands of Daesh; and calls on the Government to make an immediate Referral to the UN Security Council with a view to conferring jurisdiction upon the International Criminal Court so that perpetrators can be brought to justice.

In a similar manner, there was a concurrent resolution of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the United States Congress which stated:

That—

(1) the atrocities perpetrated by ISIL against Christians, Yezidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide;

(2) all governments, including the United States, and international organizations, including the United Nations and the Office of the Secretary-General, should call ISIL atrocities by their rightful names: war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide;

(3) the member states of the United Nations should coordinate urgently on measures to prevent further war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Iraq and Syria, and to punish those responsible for these ongoing crimes, including by the collection and preservation of evidence and, if necessary, the establishment and operation of appropriate tribunals;

(4) the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Lebanese Republic, the Republic of Turkey, and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq are to be commended for, and supported in, their efforts to shelter and protect those fleeing the violence of ISIL and other combatants until they can safely return to their homes in Iraq and Syria; and

(5) the protracted Syrian civil war and the indiscriminate violence of the Assad regime have contributed to the growth of ISIL and will continue to do so as long as this conflict continues.

That resolution was passed by the United States House of Representatives on 14 March this year. Similarly, there have been motions by the European Parliament, which:

Expresses its view that the persecution, atrocities and international crimes amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity; stresses that the so-called 'ISIS/Daesh' is committing genocide against Christians and Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities—

in the region. Similarly, the Council of Europe passed a motion condemning 'in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attacks' and the ongoing activities of Daesh in perpetrating 'acts of genocide and other serious crimes punishable under international law'. As I said, the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said on 25 March 2015:

We are witnessing a true genocide. The Islamic State group in particular kills, enslaves or exiles people who don't think like them.

Finally, to add to the list, John Kerry, the Secretary of State of the US, said:

… in my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims.

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