PUP senator Jacqui Lambie stands by 'ban the burka' Facebook post, says she knew background of Afghan policewoman killed by Taliban

Updated

Palmer United Party senator Jacqui Lambie has struggled to define sharia law despite her strong opposition to it and says she knew the background of the Afghan policewoman featured in a recent Facebook post.

Senator Lambie used the recent debate around national security to call for a ban on burkas saying anyone who supports Islamic Law should leave Australia.

She said under the Constitution, Australian citizens must only support Australian laws.

In an interview on the ABC's Insiders program, Senator Lambie was asked what she understood sharia law to mean.

"Well I think when it comes to sharia law, to me ... it obviously involves terrorism ... involves a power that's not a healthy power," she said.

Senator Lambie said she rejects sharia law.

"There is an issue right now. I want to see their full allegiance, not 50 per cent, to the Australian Constitution and Australian law. It is one law for all. That is the Australian law full stop," she said.

The PUP senator stands by her call to ban burkas saying she used the photo of an Afghan policewoman in a controversial Facebook post to show people how heroic the photo subject was.

When asked if she understood the background of the person in the photograph Senator Lambie said: "Absolutely. I already knew that before I posted that but the journalist jumped straight on my throat, went straight for my jugular and took it completely out of context".

Earlier, the PUP senator said the Afghan policewoman "would have been the first to agree" with her call to ban the burka.

The photographer who took the picture of Lt Col Malalai Kakar, which was shared online by senator Lambie in a push to ban the burka, has labelled the move appalling and insulting.

Malalai Kakar was Afghanistan's first female police officer, who the Taliban gunned down in her car in 2008. She was well known for her stance on women's rights.

Senator Lambie has responded to the photographer's comments and reports on the image with a letter to the editor, standing by the post.

"On my Facebook I recently re-posted an image of an Afghan policewoman (Malalai Kakar) wearing an extremist's burka and pointing a handgun. The photographer, who took the iconic picture – after being tracked down by ABC, viciously attacked me. "In an explosion of vitriol, the photographer described my use of the photograph, which was part of my call for the Australian government to ban the extremist’s burka as appalling and disgusting. "Her comments are a gross over-reaction. Such was this photographer's venom, anyone reading the ABC story could be forgiven for thinking it was me who gunned down the Afghan policewoman. "I wonder what background briefing this ABC reporter gave to this photographer? "Most of the internet images I've seen of Malalai have been of her dressed without the extremists' burka. "This policewoman fought for freedom against the Sharia extremists – so I would have thought part of her fight, was for the right for Afghan women not to wear a burka. "If there was a reason why this brave woman was shot, my guess is that it was because she chose to defy the sharia extremists and submit to their threats - and dressed without their burka."

Photographer Lana Slezic said she was shocked and appalled the photo she took of Lt Col Kakar in Afghanistan has been used out of context and without permission.

"I'm shocked... I cannot believe how Malalai's image has been really desecrated on Jacqui Lambie's Facebook page," she said.

"It's a misappropriation of Malalai Kakar's identity of her family. It's an insult to her family and her children and I'm appalled by the way it's been used really.

"She was the pinnacle of strength in Kandahar at a time that was extremely difficult for Afghan women. She was the first female police officer in Kandahar and stood for the rights of women.

"All the women of Kandahar knew who she was and knew they could come to her with their problems. Problems like domestic violence, rape, forced marriage.

"She was their one beacon of hope and in December 2008 she was brutally murdered in front of her family, in front of her home in Kandahar. She was shot by the Taliban.

"To have this image used in this way really is such an insult to Malalai – she would be turning in her grave and I am also deeply insulted by the use of the image in this way."

Senator Lambie said Malalai Kakar "would have been the first to agree with my call to ban the burka".

"Far from desecrating her memory, my Facebook post honours her and the deadly struggle against brutal thugs and extremists," she wrote.

"As a police officer she would have known how easy it was to conceal weapons or bombs capable of killing large numbers of innocents under a burka.

"She would have known how much safer it would be in public if the burka was banned."

Senator Lambie labelled the ABC story "a disgusting, unprofessional beat up – which will embolden and put a smile on the faces of the sharia extremists".

"I hope the ABC and the photographer now put as much energy into attacking the extremists and their disgusting and appalling behaviours - as they have into a soft political target."

Topics: social-media, islam, religion-and-beliefs, minor-parties, australia, tas

First posted