Canberra, November 21 An investigation report released by the Australian military recently confirmed that 25 Australian soldiers are suspected of participating in 23 killings of prisoners and civilians in Afghanistan. Over the past few days, Australian politicians and the media have criticized and condemned this.
Australian Prime Minister Morrison said at a press conference on the 21st that he and the public found the content of the investigation report disturbing and frustrating, and that war crimes allegations must be dealt with in accordance with Australian law and judicial system.
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said in a statement recently that the acts described in the report flagrantly violated Australia’s solemn legal obligations under the Geneva Conventions and related laws and betrayed the code of ethics that Australians expected their troops to defend. Any military personnel who committed war crimes in Afghanistan and anyone who tries to cover up these crimes must be brought to justice and the families of the victims must receive compensation.
David Hurley, the Governor of Australia, told the local media recently that these atrocities are terrible and contrary to the values of the Australian Defence Force and Australia, which should be condemned.
The front page of The Australian on the 20th pointed out that this is the “most shameful page” in Australian military history. The article quoted New South Wales judge Paul Breedon who participated in the investigation as saying that the behavior disclosed in the report was a “shameful and great betrayal” of the ADF’s professional norms and expectations.
On the same day, the Australian Financial Review published an oper entitled “Prosecuting the army is the only way to save them”, saying that the report revealed appalling acts, and some people have cast an ugly shadow on the country’s army, military history and even the country itself.
Angus Campbell, the commander of the Australian Defence Force, released an investigation report on the 19th, which lasted for four years to investigate whether Australian soldiers on mission in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2016 were suspected of war crimes. The investigation found that during their stay in Afghanistan, 25 Australian soldiers were suspected of being involved in 23 killings of prisoners and civilians, and it was recommended that 19 of them be investigated. In these incidents, a total of 39 people were killed and 2 others were ill-treated.
