Scott Morrison demands apology from China over 'repugnant' tweet
www.abc.net.au
The Prime Minister demands the Chinese Government delete a fake image showing an Australian soldier murdering a child, as relations between the two nations continue to spiral downwards.

Is anyone following this? Do you believe it is actually fake like the aus gov is saying?

Here's the original tweet: CW really graphic https://twitter.com/zlj517/status/1333214766806888448

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is demanding the Chinese Government delete a "repugnant" tweet attacking the Australian Defence Force in the wake of a landmark war crimes inquiry.

Key points: The shocking image has been described as "rank propaganda" by one Federal Government source Last week China said it "strongly condemned" the actions of Australian soldiers who allegedly committed war crimes

A long-awaited report released earlier this month found soldiers murdered at least 39 Afghans during the war The Chinese Government posted the extraordinary and violent fake image of an Australian soldier murdering a child, as relations between the two nations continue to spiral downwards.

China and Russia have both attacked Australia in the wake of the release of the Brereton report which found Australian special forces committed at least 39 unlawful killings during the war in Afghanistan.

edit: I think it;s just an artistic propaganda rendition of the following real event. The "fake" accusation is really weird and a total red herring, dont think china is claiming its real:

The report detailed shocking revelations from an earlier 2016 inquiry, by Samantha Crompvoets, that SAS soldiers slit the throats of two 14-year-old boys they thought might be Taliban sympathisers. The deaths do not appear to be included in the 39 figure reached by the inquiry.

"They stopped, searched the boys and slit their throats," it said.

"The rest of the troop then had to 'clean up that mess', which involved bagging the bodies and throwing them into a nearby river."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-19/afghan-war-crimes-report-released-what-you-need-to-know/12899880

  • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    So China's alleged offense here is... not tweeting the actual footage of the Australian war criminal executing a civilian?

    Like Nazi Germany demanding an apology for someone making a poster featuring a painting of the camps rather than a photo of the camps.

    • russianattack [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      "It is an absolutely outrageous and disgusting slur. Australia is seeking an apology from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we are seeking it be removed from Twitter."

      China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday he was shocked by the murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers.

      I really hope China doesn't back down. Fuck .au's feelings. "Ooh we're outraged at china for bringing this up. " "yea? We're outraged at what you are doing to afghanis"

      • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        I hope China doubles down like the French did with the Mohammed cartoons. Just big ass posters of that image everywhere. Make it the background image of every Chinese diplomatic mission in Australia. Call for an international investigatio into Australian War crimes in Afghanistan. Rename the street address of the Kangaroo Fucker embassy in Beijing to "Australian War Crimes Memorial Lane".

    • ap1 [any,undecided]
      ·
      4 years ago

      pretty much. my assumption is that its just an artistic rendition to demonstrate the evils of australia. but given how fucking nuts the adf is it could be real and im not gonna take scomos word for it. like the tweet author never said it was a real pic or anything

    • PowerUser [they/them]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Executing a civilian? I think you mean not showing two kids being murdered

      From at least 2015 onwards, if not earlier, disturbing rumours of war crimes, and in particular of illegal killings and mistreatment of detainees, circulated. Morale was affected. The response of the Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST)to these issues included imposing an operational pause in the Command, sending his Deputy to Campbell Barracks to ensure the SASR adhered to ADF Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and in 2015, commissioning a study with the aim of providing a ‘snapshot’ of the integration of the special operations capability with other ADF units and Whole-of-Government capabilities. He appointed Dr Samantha Crompvoets to conduct the study.

      She explained that, as she interviewed various people, including Special Forces 'insiders’, both ‘on the record’ and ‘off the record’, she was sometimes told stories of ‘war crimes’. She identified a number of ‘deeply concerning norms’ within Australian Special Forces, including: the shift from ‘unacceptable behaviour’ to war crimes; the glorifying of these crimes as being a ‘good’ soldier; ‘competition killing’ and ‘blood lust’; the inhumane and unnecessary treatment of prisoners; and cover-ups of unlawful killings and other atrocities.

      A specific incident described to Dr Crompvoets involved an incident where members from the ‘SASR’ were driving along a road and saw two 14-year-old boys whom they decided might be Taliban sympathisers. They stopped, searched the boys and slit their throats. The rest of the Troop then had to ‘clean up the mess’, which involved bagging the bodies and throwing them into a nearby river. Dr Crompvoets says she was told this was not an isolated incident. In this context, Dr Crompvoets says she was told that Special Forces soldiers were committing unsanctioned killing in order to ‘get a name for themselves’ and to join the ‘in’ group.

      • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        I only said "a civilian" because the only clip I personally saw showed the war criminals executing a civilian of pretty indeterminate age. If there's footage of kids being murdered, then that should definitely be aired far and wide to shock the world's conscience.

        • PowerUser [they/them]
          ·
          4 years ago

          Oh of course, I wasn't meaning to be belligerent but to point out that the reality is far worse than the graphic even in the restricted circumstances of 'children with their throats slit'