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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 12 Hansard (13 November) . . Page.. 3552 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

We have felt the hurts of your ways and we want you to understand that what you have done was never in our name, or the name of any religion or God. Furthermore, never in our name or in the name of any religion or God, can you ever be aggressive, unjust or hurt innocent people.

(Extension of time granted.) The statement continues:

You have killed many precious people from all backgrounds and religions and you have hurt many more. There is no political, religious, racial, ethnic or ideological position that can justify victimizing the innocent and the defenseless. Tragically, the very communities you claim to represent have also been further victimized because of backlashes by those that have been hurt and angered as a result of your aggressive and criminal actions.

Of course, all people deserve the rights to self-defence, justice, security and peace, including you. But self-defence does not justify aggression and the random killing of unarmed and innocent people whom you cannot identify and are not fighting you. No one should have to live in fear.

We witness and confirm that your cause is never enhanced by aggression, and violence against innocent people. These methods are against every religious teaching in spite of what you may believe. These methods will only promote repulsion towards you and your cause and encourage good people to gather against you.

We appeal to the common sense and hearts of all the leaders of the world and ask that they do all that is in their power to ensure that justice and peace prevail and that injustice, oppression and human rights abuses are eradicated.

Good people have been criticized for not being vocal enough against the aggression and violence. There are no bystanders. Silence is perceived as a form of consent. So let those people who seek peace and justice further amplify the message and express it repeatedly in different ways and languages. Perhaps then others will understand and bear witness to our search for peace on earth ...

This statement reflects mainstream Islamic teachings in every way, and it is based on The Quran ...

We pray to God to bring peace to the world through this and other similar efforts. Amen.

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for Women) (4.37): This is a debate on a very important issue that is occupying the thoughts and thinking of all Australians and perhaps most people around the world-the very fragile and tense international situation the world is facing. I am very pleased to rise to support the sentiment and the concern expressed in the motion moved today by Ms Dundas in relation to the possibility or prospect of a war in Iraq that may involve Australia.

We within the Labor Party have had some discussion on the role of this Assembly in international or foreign affairs, acknowledging that I as a government and we as a parliament do not have any constitutional role in foreign affairs. It is important that we acknowledge that and not confuse our role as a territorial Assembly and distinguish it

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