On
Minova Rapes
by Congo Army,
UN
Says Can't
Access, But
UNICEF's There
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 3 --
The number of
rapes in
Minova in the
Democratic
Republic of
Congo while
the Congolese
Army FARDC
retreated
there in late
November is
now reported
to be closer
to 100 than
the
21 the UN
first
reported.
But
still the UN
refuses to
provide
information on
which its
knowledge of
which
regiments of
the FARDC were
present in
Minova during
the rapes.
It is
important that
the UN's
knowledge be
disclosed,
including in
light of the
UN's supported
Human Rights
Due Diligence
Policy
prohibiting it
from working
with those
engaged in
violations
like
rape.
Inner
City Press asked UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous again
on
November 30 if
his Department
DPKO will
disclose which
units were in
Minova. This
he did not
answer.
Over the
weekend, Inner
City Press
asked the UN
in writing to
"please state
which FARDC
regiments
MONUSCO has
worked with /
supported this
year."
That
list, of units
the UN works
with, should
be publicly
and easily
available. But
it has still
not been
provided.
And
so on December
3 at the UN's
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
again
about Minova
and MONUSCO.
Spokesman
Martin
Nesirky
replied
that there is
"a human
rights
component
within the
Mission. As I
think you have
been told,
those people
who
carry out that
kind of work
have not been
able to gain
the access
that they need
because of the
security
situation on
the ground. As
soon as they
are able to do
so, they will
conduct the
investigation
that is
necessary. So
at this point,
we cannot say
with any
certainty who
precisely was
involved. We
are aware of
the reports
and need to
investigate
them in the
usual manner
that these
incidents
are
investigated
and then
report back.
Once we have
information we
will be able
to provide
that."
With
all due
respect, it
seems strange
for DPKO to
claim that
this MONUSCO
component has
not been able
to gain access
to Minova when
the UN
Children's
agency UNICEF
not only
delivered 200
doses of
post-exposure
treatment to
the hospital
in Minova - it
now
says
online that
"UNICEF RRMP
partners will
begin
registration
to
distribute NFI
kits for the
784 families
in the public
buildings and
sites in
Minova on 5
December."
So
UNICEF
accessed
Minova on
November 26,
and will be
there on
December 5,
and heavily
armed MONUSCO
can't? Watch
this site.
, 
