By MALILA Harris
AUSTRALIA NEWS – In a recent brawl over the racist videos and comments allegedly posted in Facebook by troops serving in Afghanistan, Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith has apologized to his Afghan counterpart, Abdul Rahim Wardak. He also assured an investigation into the matter and would take steps against the guilty.
The videos show Australian troops using unwarranted racist comments against Afghans such as smelly locals.
Australia's Seven Network News broadcast the material on Thursday.
It is reported that more than 1,550 troops have been serving in Afghanistan’s southern Uruzgan province.
Mr. Smith said the soldiers who were found guilty of racism would be recalled from Afghanistan.
In one video soldiers were making fun of an Afghan man who fled from the site of an explosion and mocked him as a “scared….mufti”.
Mr. Smith described the incidents as appalling and condemned it absolutely. He strongly said that soldiers were not there for cultural and racial abuse. He ordered senior members of the Australian military to do the proper investigation.
The Afghan ambassador Amanullah Jayhoon expressed his satisfaction over the Australian Defense Minister initiatives and said it would be satisfied to carry out an investigation over the distressing, shocking and appalling incidents.
March 27, 2011 | 0
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