15.Nov

November 15, 2020

Australia must prosecute soldiers over ‘war crimes’ in Afghanistan

EDITOR:

Denial of justice has been one core reason that kept fanning the flames of this ruthless war, many observers of the raging Afghan conflict believe.

As the nascent yet rejuvenated Afghan peace process awaits a new direction from the main player in this conflict, the US under president-elect Joe Biden, it is pivotal to address all past grievances before briskly moving towards reconciliation, peace and stability.

The latest revelations by a number of international broadcasters about 'war crimes' committed by the Australian forces in the war-ravaged Afghanistan are yet another proof of such atrocities resulting in grievances ultimately leading to a continuation of the bloodbath in the country.

It is somehow heartwarming to see Premier Scott Morrison promising prosecution of soldiers allegedly involved in killings and misconduct. The hundreds of pages of leaked secret defence documents that were made public by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has already sparked Australia's biggest war crimes probe, the Brereton inquiry, a summary of which is due to be publicly released this week.

Dr Samantha Crompvoets of the information special forces insiders and whistleblowers who is also the author of a secret 2016 report commissioned by military chief last week disclosed that one of the most disturbing things for her was people saying the phrase ‘it happened all the time.'

Afghans believe they are somehow close to some sort of peace, mainly driven by the US push for an exit, but this is not without haunting fears. And, that is mainly because if such grievances are not addressed the peace cannot be sustainable.

Last year, President Donald Trump issuing pardons to two US Army officers accused of war crimes in Afghanistan was a setback for the peace drive. And then, the continued blocking of the International Criminal Court’s bid for probe in such war crimes in Afghanistan is just heartbreaking.

Moving forward, Afghans hope for all that to change for good with foreign powers involved in this country to strive for justice instead of sowing seeds of hatred, death and destruction.

With its military might and clout, the US is expected to take lead with delivering justice to the war-ridden nation by paving way for a sustainable peace in this country that continues to bleed since decade.

Image by U.S. Secretary of Defense,(CC BY 2.0)