Trent Zimmerman (North Sydney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The world is witnessing an unfolding humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Hundreds have died in the conflict between the military, Rohingya and Buddhist communities in Rakhine State in the west of Myanmar. As each day goes by, the situation appears to be worsening, with tens of thousands of Rohingya seeking refuge in Bangladesh.

At the beginning of this year I was part of a parliamentary group which visited Rakhine State and its capital, Sittwe. The causes of the current crisis are complex. We witnessed the entrenched disadvantage of those living in Rakhine State, be they Buddhist or Muslim, and we learned of the discrimination faced by the Rohingya community in the provision of services as basic as health, education and employment and in their freedom of movement.

The current violence is marked by claim and counterclaim. In the absence of credible international observances, establishing the truth is challenging. Opening the region to the United Nations and NGOs must be made a priority. The Myanmar police and military have been the subject of terrorists acts, including the attacks on border posts in October 2016 and those documented more recently, yet that criminal activity has been met by a reaction from the Myanmar military which is contrary to the norms of human rights and policing and to any sensible pathway to a peaceful solution.

The government of Aung San Suu Kyi must act swiftly to deactivate the violence. To do otherwise will see this conflict worsen and be fertile ground for those promoting extremism. The democratic forces and longing for basic human rights which propelled Suu Kyi to office and so excited the world must surely be extended to all of Myanmar's people.