Australian senator, Jacqui Lambie, on Tuesday called for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the country’s defence officials over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
According to SBS News, Lambie, who served in the Australian army between 1989 to 2000, criticised the country’s military for “shocking lack of accountability” adding that the “most responsible are the least accountable.”
In 2020, an Australian Defence Force (ADF) inquiry, known as the Brereton Report, found evidence of 39 murders by Australian special forces (SAS).
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And on 15 June, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, who has been accused of four counts of murder, refused to apologise for his actions.
Jacqui Lambie said that the Brereton Report had been inadequate. And in a letter to the head of the ICC, she called for Australia’s senior defence officials to be investigated.
Lambie said: “Higher command needs to be held responsible.”
“The government is no doubt hoping this will just go away. They’re hoping that Australians will forget that when alleged war crimes in Afghanistan were investigated, our senior commanders got a free pass while our diggers were thrown under the bus.
“Well, we don’t forget. I won’t forget. Lest we forget.”
An Australian Defence Department spokesperson told the media: “Australia is addressing and responding to the findings of the Afghanistan Inquiry in accordance with our own laws and justice system.”
