Zaneta Mascarenhas
Federation Chamber, Parliament House, Canberra
Private Members' Business
Today is a significant day, and I want to extend my gratitude to the member for Moreton for putting this important motion forward to recognise this day. Not only is today a milestone but it's an opportunity for us to reflect on the importance of the Geneva conventions and their additional protocols.
Seventy-five years ago today, the Geneva conventions were signed and codified, and they established the basic rights of wartime prisoners, civilians and military personnel. The first Geneva convention began in 1864, and almost a century later, in the wake of the immense civilian suffering we saw during World War II, four Geneva conventions were universally accepted by the global community. This was a watershed moment that reflected our shared commitment to protecting human life during conflict. They incorporated the principles of neutrality, protection and care for the wounded, humane treatment of prisoners of war and the protection of civilians. The rules safeguarded civilians, medics, aid workers, the wounded and sick, and shipwrecked troops.
The rules of war matter, and they do so today as they did 75 years ago. Today, in 2024, human rights matter just as much as they did in 1949. They are as relevant today as they were in 1949, and recent events around the world, be it in Ukraine, Palestine or Bangladesh, show us why. I reflect today on the estimated 30,000 civilians who have lost their lives since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Innocent civilians must not bear the cost of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In my electorate, like me, many people are deeply distressed by the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza. I condemn the death of civilians after the devastating strike by Israel on the Al-Tabaeen school over the weekend. I also unequivocally condemn the attacks on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023. It is heartbreaking how many civilians have died in the Israel-Hamas conflict, including 39,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis. Innocent civilians must not continue to bear the cost of the conflict in Gaza. All actors must comply with international humanitarian law. Australia has again called for an immediate ceasefire. We are united in this call and urgently emphasise the need to protect civilians, to release hostages and to facilitate humanitarian aid.
Bangladesh is a country in which I lived for almost a year, and I share the concerns of constituents in my electorate about the conflict there. It is estimated that over 30 innocent children have been killed, and it's believed that hundreds of people were killed during the July protests. We are starting to see some positive movements in Bangladesh, but, again, I will say that innocent children and innocent civilians must not bear the cost of the conflict in Bangladesh.
All these horrific events highlight the importance of recognising the significance of this anniversary and why it is relevant today. Let us use it to remind ourselves of the principles that underpin those treaties and the horrors that inspired their ratification. They are rules that were put in place to limit the horror repeating itself, and the universal ratification of each treaty demonstrates a global consensus to protect human life during armed conflict. At the core are the fundamental principles of humanity. We can turn to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights to understand these principles: 'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.' Furthermore, every person is entitled to the same rights and freedoms, irrespective of race, colour, sex, language, religion or political or other opinions. These words hold deep meaning for me. I remember my year 6 teacher at Kambalda Primary School, Mrs Wilson, teaching us about Amnesty International, the rules of law and the need to protect humans. This is something that I hold true today, as I do every other day.
