US seeks transparency on alleged rapes by UN peacekeepers
Washington - The United States on Wednesday called for
greater transparency into alleged sexual assaults by UN
peacekeepers in the Central African Republic, demanding to
know the nationalities of the accused.
The admonition from the American ambassador to the United
Nations, Samantha Power, followed a new round of
accusations received by the UN mission in the African country,
known as Minusca, against peacekeeping troops accused of
sexually assaulting women and young girls.
Power, in strongly worded testimony before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, called the alleged crimes "egregious"
and "horrific."
Her testimony came a day after a French court heard charges
against four French soldiers suspected of raping child refugees
in the African country in 2013 and 2014.
Also Read: Court remands man for allegedly attempting to
rape minor
Power said that the greatest challenge in eliminating sexual
exploitation and abuse was probably "the lack of transparency
on allegations."
She said it was vital for the United Nations and its member
states to know "the nationality of alleged perpetrators, the
status of investigations, and the outcome of disciplinary or
prosecutorial action, or of sanctions imposed by the UN."
She added, "Unfortunately, we rarely have access to this type
of information." She was testifying at a hearing on the future of
UN peacekeeping.
Power applauded a commitment by UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon to make public the nationalities of those against
whom credible allegations of sexual exploitation or abuse have
been lodged.
Sexually attacked
Ban has promised a "zero tolerance" policy regarding such
abuse, denouncing what he called a "cancer" in his
organization and saying he would not hesitate to repatriate
entire peacekeeping units linked to such abuses if their home
countries failed to punish them.
In August, he fired the head of Minusca, Babacar Gaye, and
froze the wages of soldiers accused of sexual assaults, saying
he could not put into words "how anguished, angered and
ashamed I am" over such allegations.
Power told the senators on Wednesday that "we have been
particularly outraged at those especially egregious cases"
reported in CAR. "Those who prey on the vulnerable
communities they are sent to protect undermine the very
foundation of peacekeeping," she said.
Also Read: Two in court for gang raping a 21-year-old lady
She was referring to allegations received by Minusca in mid-
November that peacekeepers had sexually attacked five
women, including minors and pregnant women.
A month earlier, Minusca received allegations of 17 cases of
sexual exploitation or abuse by military or civilian UN
personnel.
The African country has been shaken by two years of
sectarian violence between Christian and Muslim fighters since
then-president Francois Bozize was overthrown in March 2013
by a mainly Muslim rebel alliance.
The Minusca force comprises nearly 11 000 uniformed
personnel from some 50 countries, including the US.
- AFP
greater transparency into alleged sexual assaults by UN
peacekeepers in the Central African Republic, demanding to
know the nationalities of the accused.
The admonition from the American ambassador to the United
Nations, Samantha Power, followed a new round of
accusations received by the UN mission in the African country,
known as Minusca, against peacekeeping troops accused of
sexually assaulting women and young girls.
Power, in strongly worded testimony before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, called the alleged crimes "egregious"
and "horrific."
Her testimony came a day after a French court heard charges
against four French soldiers suspected of raping child refugees
in the African country in 2013 and 2014.
Also Read: Court remands man for allegedly attempting to
rape minor
Power said that the greatest challenge in eliminating sexual
exploitation and abuse was probably "the lack of transparency
on allegations."
She said it was vital for the United Nations and its member
states to know "the nationality of alleged perpetrators, the
status of investigations, and the outcome of disciplinary or
prosecutorial action, or of sanctions imposed by the UN."
She added, "Unfortunately, we rarely have access to this type
of information." She was testifying at a hearing on the future of
UN peacekeeping.
Power applauded a commitment by UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon to make public the nationalities of those against
whom credible allegations of sexual exploitation or abuse have
been lodged.
Sexually attacked
Ban has promised a "zero tolerance" policy regarding such
abuse, denouncing what he called a "cancer" in his
organization and saying he would not hesitate to repatriate
entire peacekeeping units linked to such abuses if their home
countries failed to punish them.
In August, he fired the head of Minusca, Babacar Gaye, and
froze the wages of soldiers accused of sexual assaults, saying
he could not put into words "how anguished, angered and
ashamed I am" over such allegations.
Power told the senators on Wednesday that "we have been
particularly outraged at those especially egregious cases"
reported in CAR. "Those who prey on the vulnerable
communities they are sent to protect undermine the very
foundation of peacekeeping," she said.
Also Read: Two in court for gang raping a 21-year-old lady
She was referring to allegations received by Minusca in mid-
November that peacekeepers had sexually attacked five
women, including minors and pregnant women.
A month earlier, Minusca received allegations of 17 cases of
sexual exploitation or abuse by military or civilian UN
personnel.
The African country has been shaken by two years of
sectarian violence between Christian and Muslim fighters since
then-president Francois Bozize was overthrown in March 2013
by a mainly Muslim rebel alliance.
The Minusca force comprises nearly 11 000 uniformed
personnel from some 50 countries, including the US.
- AFP
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