Are U.N. peacekeepers sexually abusing Congolese women?
MONUC has 19,000 good peace keepers such as this soldier in Congo.
New York – Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been raped and abused by rebel troops and Congolese army for several years in the forgotten war African war.
Now allegations have surfaced that even U.N. peace-keepers have engaged in sexual misconduct against women.
Concerned about the allegations, the U.N has sent a fact-finding team to investigate rumours of “sexual misconduct surrounding some blue helmets stationed in the country’s far east.”
General Babacar Gaye, Force Commander of the mission, known as MONUC, voiced hope that the investigation will shed light on persistent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse leveled against peacekeepers.
While cases of sexual exploitation had been investigated by the military police last year, he said he is concerned that other cases might have gone undetected, especially in more remote locations
“A very small number of peacekeepers have abused the trust of the Congolese people in the past, and the overwhelming majority who serve with honour in this mission resent the damage that a few individuals can do to the credibility of peacekeeping,” said Alan Doss, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative.
He also underscored the UN’s “zero tolerance” for “any behaviour that disrespects women and girls and the communities in which they live.”
The fact-finding mission will visit operating bases of MONUC, which is one of the UN’s largest peacekeeping operations with over 19,000 personnel, and camps housing tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
It is expected to report its findings by the end of this month, with any evidence brought to light to be formally investigated by the world body’s investigative arm.
Related articles:
- Two armed groups rape 150 women in village in Congo
- Years of NATO occupation fail to end violence, rapes against Afghan women: New Report
Posted by News Editor
on Jul 25 2009. Filed under Humanity.
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