PARLIAMENTARIANS NETWORK FOR CONFLICT PREVENTION AND HUMAN SECURITY

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (15:35): In the last month, I have been invited by the East West Institute, which is an international task force on preventative diplomacy, to join the Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention and Human Security, which is a group of parliamentarians from around the world. The East West Institute has for 28 years highlighted an unacceptable gap, which continues to exist, between the international community's rhetoric about conflict prevention and its responsibility to protect people from catastrophic human rights violations and the reality of its efforts. The shameful record of human misery caused by violent conflict is testimony to the chronic lack of political will to respond collectively to new and emerging threats to peace, including environmental stress, around the world.

The ineffectiveness of many global efforts at preventative diplomacy is evidence that traditional diplomatic approaches, including the use of force, simply may not work in time to stop people from dying. Early and effective political action is lacking in too many cases where there is an awareness of the threat of violent conflict. Furthermore, in crisis situations, a lack of effective international response mechanisms, added to a lack of political will, limit the potential for action.

The network will this month meet for the first time in Brussels (I am very disappointed, of course, not to be present), and its role will be to pledge to a set of guiding principles to build the capacity of governments to respond to the emergence of potential conflict situations; build international cooperation in sharing strategies for conflict prevention; influence legislation to commit resources to conflict prevention, bind governments to report promptly to parliament in cases of pending conflict, and improve conflict prevention structures; produce and disseminate information and increase awareness among decision makers, the media and the public about the necessity and cost-effectiveness of preventing conflict; and institutionalising and mainstreaming conflict prevention.

There is currently a paucity of strategies, experienced personnel and financial resources directed to the prevention of potentially violent conflicts. We realise that the settling and reconciliation of acute conflict is essential. However, to steal a health analogy, prevention is always better than cure. We all know that conflict has a devastating impact on human suffering, misplaced life opportunities, education, economies and reconstruction costs. In South Australia, we have first-hand experience over the last 50 years hearing the stories of many of our migrant population. I have constituents from Sudan, Sierra Leone and East Turkistan, to name just a few countries, and I have listened to their horror stories, and I often despair at the ability of some human beings to destroy generations of other human beings.

I strongly believe that those of us living in stable countries enjoying democratic governments have a duty to prevent violence in fragile societies across the globe. Violent conflict will be transformed into sustainable peace only if all stakeholders work together. The international community, the global public and all interested and affected parties must work towards removing the incentives for violent conflict by addressing the root sources of tension within and between societies, states and regions.

In the last decade, more than 15 million people have lost their life to war; 40 million people have been forced to flee their homes; and genocide and mass atrocity crimes have again stalked parts of the world. This reality is at complete odds with the international community's pledge to free our societies from the scourge of violent conflict. I encourage members of both houses to join this parliamentary network and provide a leverage point for change, to work to influence legislation, provide access to the media and the public, to place emphasis on preventative measures and to reframe traditional security policy.