In
DRC,
UN's FIB
Practices
Violating
Geneva
Conventions,
Clinic Raids
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 13 --
While UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous has
repeatedly
refused to
acknowledge
that the
Geneva
Conventions
apply
to its Force
Intervention
Brigade and
perhaps whole
Mission in the
Democratic
Republic of
the Congo, the
FIB is
training as if
they do
not.
Even
while being
filmed, the
Tanzanian
component of
the
Intervention
Brigade, led
by Tanzanian
general James
Mwakibolwa
couldn't help
using a tent
clearly marked
as a medical
facility, with
a large red
cross, as a
site to be
raided with
guns drawn. Video here, from
Minute 1:07.
The
International
Committee of
the Red Cross
was asked
about this and
opined
that "parties
involved in
conflict must
spare
health-care
workers &
facilities.
Attacks on
health care
are illegal"
under
International
Humanitarian
Law.
Why
is the UN
practicing
violating
international
humanitarian
law?
After
the Ladsous'
UN
Peaceekeeping
was exposed
for inaction
on the 135
rapes in
Minova by its
partners in
the Congolese
Army, they
tried to
make up for it
by violating
the privacy
rights of
victims,
getting
their medical
records
without their
consent. This
has yet to be
addressed.
Meanwhile
under
Ladsous, the
UN continues
to support the
391st
Battalion,
which
after being
confirmed as
one of two
units involved
in the Minova
rapes was
further
implicated in
the
desecration of
corpses.
French
Permanent
Representative
to the UN
Gerard Araud
told Inner
City Press
candidly
that it is
difficult
because the
391st
Battalion is
one of
the "best"
units in the
Congolese Army.
Best in what
since?
Practice makes
perfect. Watch
this site.
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