Motions — Bali Bombing—Second Anniversary

I move, That this House note the second anniversary today of the Bali bombing, recall with sorrow the lives lost and damaged by the actions of terrorists, and condemn the ongoing acts of terrorism that deliberately target the lives of innocent people. Two hundred and two people, three of whom were New Zealanders, perished in Bali on this day 2 years ago, and hundreds more were injured and traumatised. Since that appalling event further lives have been lost through terrorism in Jakarta, Madrid, Beslan, the Middle East, and other countries. In cooperation with the international community, New Zealand will continue its efforts at home, in the Pacific, in Afghanistan, and elsewhere to oppose terrorism and tackle the conditions that foster it.

The National Party strongly supports this resolution. Our thoughts today go out to the families and friends of the 202 innocent people whose lives were so horrifically ended in Bali just 2 years ago. To the families and friends of the three New Zealanders who were murdered there, we pass on our most sincere condolences. We also send our sympathies to Prime Minister, John Howard, and the people of Australia, who lost so many friends, family, and loved ones. New Zealand stands with you on this day of commemoration.

It is with heavy hearts that today we commemorate this second anniversary of the horrific bombings in Bali in October 2002. Just over a year after the shocking terrorist attacks of September 11 innocent people were again cruelly targeted in a disgusting terrorist attack, the likes of which are sadly becoming more commonplace. It is only 5 weeks ago that we stood here to mourn the despicable targeting of children by terrorists in Beslan. Only 2 days after that a bomb exploded outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. Such shocking and despicable attacks were once unthinkable. Today’s sad commemoration reminds us that the tentacles of terrorism now reach everywhere, and we must stand resolute with the rest of the civilised world to stamp out this abomination of our times.

Today 2 years ago there was a dreadful event—a dreadful event for New Zealand, a dreadful event for Australia in particular, and a dreadful event for the world. Young people do not go on holiday to be subjected to acts of terror and terrorism; they go on holiday to enjoy themselves and to have some fun in their youth. It was almost beyond belief that they were blown apart by terrorist action. On a worldwide scale, nation by nation, religion by religion, that is simply not acceptable. That message must be strongly delivered and finally accepted by all. As a result of the Bali bombing, many families are traumatised and are likely to be so for the rest of their lives. We must ensure that the people who died in Bali did not die in vain. As a small nation our contribution towards combating terrorism, although it might be limited, must be significant and positive. We must send a strong message. We must also be vigilant. New Zealand First supports the motion.

The Green Party adds its voice to the preceding speakers, in extending our sympathy to the families of the New Zealanders and the many others who died in that horrific bombing, and whose families are suffering so much, 2 years later. We also congratulate the Indonesian and Australian police on working together to track down the perpetrators of this vile crime and bringing them to justice.

Bringing individual such as these to trial is not enough. As we have seen, there will be more bombings until we can remove the grievances that, unfortunately, enable such terrorist groups to recruit new bombers and commit new atrocities. Therefore, actions such as the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan would go a long way to further isolating terrorist groups in the Islamic world, such as in countries like Indonesia, and reducing the threat from these terrorist groups.

The ACT party supports the motion. Two years ago today terrorism was brought into our homes, into our country. Although the bomb went off in Bali, three New Zealanders were among those who died. We are a small country, so we are only one or two people removed from the New Zealanders who died that day.

It also brought terrorism home to Australia in a large way, and reminded us that what we face with terrorism is not something happening on the other side of the world. New Zealanders do travel all over the world and are exposed to the sort of shocking crime that was committed 2 years ago. I hope our Government is determined, through the Indonesian Government, to see that the perpetrators of this evil deed are fully punished, and I hope that we take a lesson from this terrible, terrible crime and recognise that as a country and as a people we have to stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism.

Two years ago today events in Bali shook our part of the world in a way that few others have in recent times. That day 202 people were slaughtered, three of whom were New Zealanders. Yet I suspect that in the intervening 2 years many of us will have let our memories slip a little, and will be thinking: “Is it really as long ago as 2 years?”. In that time we have had the outrages at Madrid, Beslan, and, more recently, Jakarta; almost weekly we have had the parade of suicide bombers on the West Bank, and elsewhere; and now, in the last few weeks, we have seen a new explosion of terror that reached its nadir with the decapitation of Kenneth Bigley last week. Terrorism, unfortunately, has become a way of life for far too many, and its impacts now extend to all of us, wherever we are, whatever our occupation, our walk of life, or our particular reason for being in a place at the time an attack occurs.

To that extent, the awful tragedy is that the terrorists have already won the first part of their battle: they have destabilised all of us; they have placed all of us at risk and on notice. Although I strongly support the sentiment that we must regroup and do all we can as civilised people to stop the scourge of terrorism, we have to do so in a way that restores a sense of confidence to our own people, and all people around the world, that we are in fact capable of doing so. The awful tragedy of the last few years has been that despite the rhetoric, despite the concerted international action, and despite the specific actions in particular places, the terrorists still peddle their awful trade. While today we should commemorate those who suffered and those who suffered loss, we should also remind ourselves of the fact that as yet we have not found a way to stop this scourge, and we do need to redouble our international efforts to do so, otherwise this debate this afternoon will be one of many we will have, sadly, in the future.

The Progressive Party also supports the motion that is before the House. We stand with the people of the world who were shocked by what occurred in Bali. We remember also that the people of Bali suffered in 1965 and 1966 when the worst killing grounds of all, after the overthrow of President Sukarno, were in Bali, and the streets ran with the blood of the people of Indonesia.

The fight against terrorism is on a number of levels. It is a fight against those who are criminal gangs and individual groups, and it is a fight against those States that support, foster, and fund terrorism. I believe that the people of New Zealand are looking for us to continue our support for the international rule of law in the fight against terrorism and to make sure that our own domestic laws are in accord with the rule of law. The only way that the world will be able to end these criminal attacks, which in the end mean the suffering of ordinary people, is to take an approach that deals with the causes of terrorism and to look particularly at fostering development in that great part of the world—where the great majority of the people live on under $2 a day—and to make sure that world attention is focused on such tragedies as that of the Palestinian people, what is happening in Sudan, and in all those parts of the world where ordinary people, through no fault of their own, are the victims of greater forces.

The Progressive Party sees that this motion is an important motion for this House to support in unanimity.

Motion agreed to.