On UN
Rapes, DR
Congo Cases
Reported by U
of Peace
UNacted On By
Ladsous?
By Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
series
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 17 --
When
peacekeepers
from France
allegedly
raped children
in the Central
African
Republic and
the UN learned
about it a
year ago, the
UN
and
UNICEF
did nothing,
until French
UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous asked
to fire the
whistleblower
in March of
this
year.
On last
week Inner
City Press
asked
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric if
firing only
Gaye, as head
of MINUSCA,
and not his
boss Herve
Ladsous did
not constitute
scapegoating.
Dujarric
denied it -
but calls for
Ladsous, who
did not even
return or call
in from
vacation
during this
scandal, to be
fired grow
among
officials and
diplomats at
the UN,
particularly
those from
Africa.
Consider for
example the
sadly similar
report of UN
Peacekeepers
raping
underaged
girls in the
DR Congo on
which Inner
City Press reported
in August 2012,
noting even
then that
Ladsous
refused to
answer Press
questions
about
peacekeeping-related
rapes.
In
those cases,
reported by
Victoria
Fontan then of
the [UN]
University for
Peace, it is
not clear even
if the
peacekeepers
are issued
were
disciplined or
put on trial.
Why haven't
the SRSGs of
other missions
like in the DR
Congo (or
South Sudan)
been treated
like
Gaye?
Consider the
nation(s) they
come from. And
the boss and
responsible of
it all,
Ladsous? We'll
have more on
this.
After
Ban Ki-moon
briefed the
Security
Council behind
closed doors,
US Ambassador
Samantha Power
but not UNSC
President Joy
Ogwu of
Nigeria spoke
for 24 minutes
at the
stakeout
(while taking
questions only
from Reuters,
AP and the
WSJ.)
On
August 14,
Inner City
Press asked
Central
African
Republic and
UN
Peacekeeping
rape questions
to Ambasssador
Joy Ogwu (video
here); she
replied to
Inner City
Press:
"Well, I
thought I
would brief
yesterday, but
I waited for a
long time,
this podium
was busy, so I
decided to
leave. Well,
there was a
consensus on
the action
that was
taken. I think
it was
Shakespeare
who said,
there is a
tide in the
affairs of men
which taken at
the flood
leads on to
fortune. The
Secretary
General got to
the point
where he drew
the line. To
say, to
indicate that
there is, and
to reaffirm
zero tolerance
on this matter
of sexual
violence
against women.
I don’t think
there were any
differences on
the action
that he took,
we supported
that action,
and indeed
that it should
broaden beyond
the Central
African
Republic. All
the
contributors,
troop
contributors,
must be that
way, that the
point of no
return has
been reached,
and it needs
to be taken
very very
seriously. It
had to happen
at some point.
That’s some
line, the
dividing line.
So there was
no specific
target."
Also on
August 14
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, video here, transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
on sexual
abuse and UN
peacekeeping.
In this room,
a couple of
times, you've
used this
figure of 57
complaints and
11 having to
do with sexual
abuse or
sexual
exploitation
in MINUSCA
[United
Nations
Multidimensional
Integrated
Stabilization
Mission in the
Central
African
Republic].
And you've
said to look
at the report
to UNGA
[United
Nations
General
Assembly] for
comparison.
But, when you
look at that
report, it
doesn't…
MINUSCA's not
even in the
top
three.
So, are the
numbers that
you're using
are comparable
to these
numbers, or
can you
produce
similar
numbers for
other missions
to know what
the scope of
the problem
is?
Spokesman:
Those numbers
that we have
are the most
updated
numbers for
MINUSCA.
If we have
other updated
numbers for
other
missions,
we'll share
them with you.
[After the
briefing, none
were
provided.]
Inner City
Press:
That's what
we've been
asking for,
for several
days.
Spokesman:
Okay.
Inner :
Okay. I
wanted to ask
you about a
quote that was
given by the
Spokesman for
MINUSCA that
I'm sure you
may have seen,
to Lauren
Wolfe for
Foreign Policy
magazine..
I'm going to
read you this
quote, because
I think you'll
have a
response to
it. Mr.
Hamadoun Touré
said as
follows:
"When
peacekeepers
arrived at the
site, they
were attacked
immediately
with heavy
weapons.
I'm sorry, but
I don't think
someone would
think of
raping someone
at this
time. I
think they
just think of
escape.
He will think,
I'm a human
being before I
am a
man. If
you're under
fire, I think
you're just
saving your
life.
Really, in
this
situation, you
don't really
think of a
girl," i.e.
equating the
rape of a
12-year-old
with being a
man or… what
do you think
of this
comment and…
and what… what
are the
implications
of it?
Spokesman:
I think the
comment does
not reflect in
any way, shape
or form the
opinion of the
Secretary-General,
the United
Nations or the
peacekeeping
mission.
Clearly, our
thoughts and
our work and
our focus
should be on
the victims of
sexual abuse,
whether in the
CAR [Central
African
Republic] or
anywhere
else.
There is no
excuse for
rape, none,
period.
So, that's
what I'm
saying.
So, the quote
is of… does
not in any way
reflect the
position of
the
Secretary-General,
the
peacekeeping
or the Mission
itself.
Inner City
Press:
Do you… I’d
say the
problems
extend, go
both below Mr.
[Babacar] Gaye
but also above
Mr.
Gaye. It
seems like…
the final
thing I wanted
to ask you is…
Inner City
Press: Here's
what I was
trying to ask
you about CAR,
and I also
want to ask
about
Burundi.
The Government
Accountability
Project, who,
you know,
we've… you've
said from
there you
respect much,
said:
"In demanding
Gaye's
resignation,
the
Secretary-General
apparently
thought it's
time to look
serious about
peacekeepers
and sexual
assault."
They go on to
say that, if
the
Secretary-General
were serious…
and they go
back to the
Sangaris case
that was… in
which Mr.
[Anders]
Kompass was…
was… says he
was urged to
resign by Mr.
[Hervé]
Ladsous, they
urged the
Secretary-General
to suspend the
investigation
of Mr. Kompass
if he's
actually
serious, as he
said at the
stakeout.
What's your
response to
that?
Spokesman:
I do respect
GAP. It
doesn't mean I
need to agree
with
them. I
think the
Secretary-General
made an
unprecedented
decision
yesterday, and
he sent strong
[message] to
UN officials
that there
will be
institutional
accountability.
On the CAR… on
the Sangaris
case, he has
called for and
implemented a
full review,
led by Marie
Deschamps in
Canada.
We look
forward to
receiving that
review and
acting on its
recommendations.
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
about
Parfait.
Obviously, in
these remarks
that you were…
put online
earlier today,
it said that
Mr. Parfait
Onanga
[Anyanga] is
now replacing
Mr. Gaye,
beginning
early next
week. It
seems pretty
fast and it's
obviously a
very fast
process.
So, I wanted
to ask, in
terms of
Burundi, what
exactly is the
sticking point
on the…
multiply
decided
imminent…?
Spokesman:
There are two
different
situations.
The
consultations
on appointing
a new envoy
for Burundi
are
continuing.
As soon as we
have something
to announce we
will announce
it.
When
covering this
was over,
Ban's
spokesman's
office was
closed.
Stories
appeared
quoting Ban's
remarks and
praising him,
with no
mention of the
head of UN
Peacekeeping
Herve Ladsous,
who had not
deigned to
return from
his vacation
for the
scandal and
firing of
Gaye, or even
to call his
putative boss
Ban Ki-moon.
Now on
the morning of
August 14 when
Ban's
Spokesperson's
office
reopened,
there were
Ban's remarks
out on the
counter. They
run four and a
half pages and
do not once
mention
Ladsous, only
Babacar Gaye
(whose name is
not forever
linked with
rape as
Ladsous' more
properly
should be) and
Gaye's quick
replacement
Parfait
Onanga-Anyanga,
who previously
represented
Ban in
Burudni, where
Ban cannot
this week
bring himself
to name an
envoy amid
torture and
threats.
Whether
anything will
come of Ban's
four and a
half pages
remains to be
seen. The Free UN Coalition for Access is
fighting this
lack of
transparency,
and lack of
accountability.
Watch this
site.
On
August 13
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric
declined to
provide the
type of sexual
abuse
complaint
numbers he
gave for CAR
for any other
UN
Peacekeeping
mission. The
problem goes
well beyond
CAR and Gaye.
Inner
City Press
after asking
in the
briefing (video
here)
asked Dujarric
in writing:
Yesterday (and
today) I asked
you for number
of abuse and
sexual abuse
complaints at
each UN
Peacekeeping
mission, to
compare to the
57 / 11
figures you
announced for
MINUSCA in
CAR.
Yesterday:
ICP: Can you
provide
similar
numbers for
the other
missions?
Spokesman:
We'll try to
do that.
I will come
back to you.
Today
you did not
provide the
number, said
look at SG's
report to
UNGA. But in
that report,
the CAR
numbers you
have
announced,
they are not
there. Instead
at
undocs.org/A/69/779
'(a) The
United Nations
Organization
Stabilization
Mission in the
Democratic
Republic of
the Congo
(MONUSCO) and
the United
Nations
Stabilization
Mission in
Haiti
(MINUSTAH),
with 13
allegations
each (51 per
cent of the
total), and
the
United Nations
Mission in
South Sudan
(UNMISS), with
12 allegations
(24 per cent);
(b) The
remaining 13
allegations
(25 per cent)
were received
from the
United Nations
Mission in
Liberia
(UNMIL), with
five
allegations,
and the United
Nations
Multidimensional
Integrated
Stabilization
Mission in
Mali
(MINUSMA),
with three
allegations.
The United
Nations
Assistance
Mission in
Afghanistan
(UNAMA), the
United Nations
Peacekeeping
Force in
Cyprus
(UNFICYP), the
United Nations
Interim Force
in Lebanon
(UNIFIL), the
United Nations
Interim
Security Force
for Abyei
(UNISFA) and
the United
Nations
Operation in
Côte d’Ivoire
(UNOCI) all
reported one
allegation
each.'
So
again, this is
a request for
numbers on the
other
peacekeeping
missions,
comparable to
the 57 / 11
numbers you
announced
about CAR /
MINUSCA."
Dujarric
ignored this
part of Inner
City Press'
request, while
declinding to
say WHO was on
Ban Ki-moon's
call.
Inner
City Press
asked on that,
in writing
after twice at
the briefings:
"Yesterday you
said: 'As to
who will be on
the call
tomorrow, we
will let you
know once the
call happens.'
So, again,
this is a
request for
the list of
those on
today's 10:30
call."
On this,
UN spokesman
Dujarric has
replied only
that:
"On the call,
all the
following
missions were
represented,
either at the
Head of
Mission level,
or acting head
if someone was
on leave. If
the mission
had a Force
Commander and
Police
Commissioner,
they were
represented as
well.
DPKO, DFS,
Military
Advisor and
Police
Commissioner
were there.
Children in
Armed Conflict
and Sexual
Violence in
Conflict were
also
represented.
So
again, as now
more than one
UN Permanent
Representative
is asking,
where is
Ladsous? Some
note Senagal's
president's
statement on
Ban's firing
of Senegalese
Babacar Gaye.
To
similarly fire
Ladsous, who
bear more and
wider
responsibility,
Ban would have
had to speak
with France,
the way he
runs or lets
the UN be run.
But French
Ambassador to
the UN
Francois
Delattre is on
vacation - as
is Ladsous, it
turns
out, even
amid this
scandal.
Ban's
spokesman
Stephen
Dujarric told
Inner City
Press that UN
Peacekeeping's
"senior
leadership"
only learned
of this new
CAR rape on
August 10,
then that
Ladsous is "on
leave," and
finally that
Ban had yet to
speak with
Ladsous. How
then does he
know WHEN
Ladsous
learned of
these new
rapes? What is
the basis of
the claimed
(and reported)
"full
confidence"?
We'll have
more on this.
After Amnesty
International
reported
in detail on
the alleged
rape on August
2 by UN
Peacekeeping
of a 12 year
old girl in
the PK5
neighborhood
of Bangui, UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon on
August 12
announced he
asked for a
resignation:
of Babacar
Gaye, head of
the CAR
mission and
not Ladsous,
the head of UN
Peacekeeping
documented to
have tried to
get CAR
whistleblower
Kompass fired
(Ladsous
denies it) and
responsible
for previous
cover ups in
DR Congo and
Darfur. Compiled
video here.
When
Ban Ki-moon
took three
questions on
August 12,
Inner City
Press between
each one
asked, What
about Ladsous?
Ban heard but
did not
answer, except
to (politely)
say as he
left, You can
ask him,
pointing at
spokesman
Staphan
Dujarric.
Inner
City Press
did, asking
several time
where is
Ladsous -- on
vacation or
"leave," it
emerges -- and
about Babacar
Gaye's letter
to Ban Ki-moon
about more
systematic
problems. Video here.
Here is the
UN's
transcipt:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
what I was
trying to ask
at the
stakeout,
which is,
what's the
role of the
head of UN
peacekeeping,
Hervé Ladsous,
in all
this?
Given the
Secretary-General
noted
correctly that
there had been
scandals in
other missions
as well, and
it seems
extraordinary
that the
Secretary-General
is the one
calling the
Mission chiefs
who ultimately
work for
Ladsous.
So, when is
the last time
he spoke to
him? Did
he consider
Mr. Ladsous
taking
responsibility
rather than
Mr.
Gaye?
And, finally,
I'm looking at
Mr. Gaye's
letter, and
this is why
I'm asking the
question.
Mr. Gaye
says:
"Going
forward…" to
the
Secretary-General…
"Going
forward, you
may wish to
consider there
could be a
systematic
problem
warranting
consideration
at the highest
level of the
organization".
So, what do
you say to
that? It
seems
extraordinary
that you jump
a level and
then there's
no answer as
to the man in
the middle.
Spokesman:
You know, I
think… a
couple of
things:
First of all,
the
Secretary-General
has full
confidence in
Mr. Ladsous,
the
peacekeeping
department,
and, of
course, Mr.
[Atul] Khare,
the head of
the Department
of Field
[Support].
Both DPKO
[Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations]
and DFS
[Department of
Field Support]
are dedicated
to ensuring
the highest
level of
standards and
accountability
among
personnel.
And I wanted
to add that
Lieutenant
General Paul
Cruz, who is
the Director
of Strategic
Partnerships
at DPKO/DFS,
which is a
role akin to
an inspector
general role,
will leave for
Central
African
Republic to
examine
systematic
challenges of
dealing with
conduct and
discipline
issues,
particularly
sexual
exploitation
and abuse,
including
prevention,
training, as
well as
reporting
management and
any further
help that is
required for
Headquarters.
As for Mr.
Gaye, he is,
indeed, the
head of the UN
Mission, but
he, like the
other heads of
the UN
missions, has
another title,
and that's
Special
Representatives
of the
Secretary-General.
They represent
the
Secretary-General.
The action
taken by the
Secretary-General
this morning
was not taken
lightly, but I
think he spoke
very
eloquently as
to the
reasoning
behind it, and
I think, if
you look at
the comments
by the
Secretary-General,
he will speak
very strongly
to all his
Special
Representatives
as well as
police
commissioners,
force
commanders
tomorrow to
deliver a
strong
message, and
that message
[is] that
people will be
held
accountable.
Inner City
Press: I
guess my
question is,
going back to,
let's say,
Darfur, in
Darfur, there
was an
allegation of
mass rape in
the city of
Thabit, and
the
peacekeeping
mission put
out a press
release saying
it didn't
happen;
everything was
fine.
This was found
to be
problematic by
the
Council.
The SRSG isn't
gone.
What's the
status of
that?
And what's the
connection of
this case to
the French
peacekeepers?
Spokesman:
I think this
is… as you
know, the
Secretary-General
did not take
this action
based on one
particular
case. He
took it based
on the
repeated
number of
cases of
sexual abuse
and misconduct
that have
taken place in
the Central
African
Republic.
According to
our numbers,
we had 57
allegations of
possible
misconduct in
the Central
African
Republic
reported since
the beginning
of the mission
in April
2014.
And that
includes 11
cases of
sexual abuse,
possible
sexual
abuse.
Those cases
are being
investigated.
And the
Secretary… I
think today
the
Secretary-General
sent a strong
message on
accountability.
Inner City
Press:
Can you
provide
similar
numbers for
the other
missions?
Spokesman:
We'll try to
do that.
I will come
back to you.
Inner City
Press:
[Inaudible -
It's telling
you only] have
it for one
mission.
At the
August 11 noon
briefing,
Inner City
Press
asked
Dujarric about
UN
Peacekeepers'
exemption from
the UN "End
Rape in War"
office, and if
Ban would
belatedly in
this case
identify those
charged, and
disclose
findings and
punishment, if
any. Video
here.Transcript
below.
"The
Secretary-General
is considering
this situation
as we speak,
and I expect
him to issue a
statement or
brief you
personally on
this subject a
bit later."
Five
and then six
o'clock came
-- no
statement from
Ban Ki-moon,
much less
needed
Q&A.
Dujarric has said "Either
you'll hear
from him or
you'll get a
statement...
as soon as I
know which it
will be, I
will let you
know." But
there was no
such guidance
either. We'll
have more on
this.
Inner City
Press:
Sure. I
hear what
you're saying
about… about…
I mean, first,
the
announcement,
but I did want
to ask you a
question since
I'm not sure
if the
Secretary…
will be able
to get
answered by
the
Secretary-General.
And it has to
do with
this.
The allegation
by Amnesty
International
is that this
rape took
place the day
after
peacekeepers
were fired at
in PK5.
So, it seems
to smack of…
not of sexual
abuse and
exploitation
only, but also
rape as a tool
of war, as a
weapon of
war. And
I know that,
in this room,
Ms. [Zainab]
Bangura said
that her
mandate
doesn't cover
UN
peacekeepers.
And so, I
wondered, is
that something
the
Secretariat
would
reconsider
given… at
least in this
case, if not
other cases?
Spokesman:
What I
referred to in
my opening
statement were
troubling
allegations of
abuse, so
abuse writ
large.
Obviously, the
Mission in
Central
African
Republic has
been looking
into this, and
we expect them
to investigate
the exact
circumstances
of these
allegations
thoroughly and
quickly.
There are… we
are talking
about alleged…
cases of
alleged abuse
or misconduct
by UN
peacekeepers,
whether they
be military or
formed police
units.
There are very
clear
procedures in
place on how
to investigate
and deal with
those
issues.
Ms. Bangura's
mandate is
given to her
by the
Security
Council.
We do expect
the procedures
already in
place to be
used to fully
investigate
and, if
necessary,
discipline
those who have
committed
these alleged
crimes.
Inner City
Press:
If… if the
Mission finds
what Amnesty
International
alleges to be
true, is the
maximum UN
penalty
repatriation
to the country
of the
peacekeeper?
Spokesman:
I think…
we're… we're
talking about
hypotheticals
here.
So, let me try
to answer it
without
referring to
the exact
case.
Obviously, if
a crime of
this nature is
committed by a
military
personnel, it
is… it comes
under one set
of rules, and
as we all
know, the UN
has no direct
authority over
the uniformed
personnel.
That person
would be
repatriated,
and we would
expect them to
face justice,
be it military
or civilian
justice, in
their home
country and be
prosecuted to
the full
extent of the
law. If
it is a
civilian
person or if
it is a police
officer, my
understanding
is that that
is
different.
Obviously, the
case… we would
be in touch
with the local
authorities,
and obviously,
the
authorities of
which that
person is…
their
nationality,
so to speak.
Inner City
Press:
And one last
thing.
There was… it
was said that
the
Secretary-General
was
considering
moving beyond
sort of
anonymity for
countries and
non-disclosure
of what
actually
happens.
Would this…
can he say,
without yet
knowing what
the Mission
will decide,
that, were
they to find
this to be
true, that
this would be
the case to
dispense with
that?
Spokesman:
I would just
refer… I don't
think there's
a change in
policy.
I think I
would refer
you what the
Secretary-General
said in his
latest report
-- would be
that it is his
intention to
do so.
For the
Panel that
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon
belatedly
announced,
Inner City
Press on
August 4 asked
if they will
travel to CAR
to do any
interviews.
Ban's deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
insisted "that
is nothing we
could know in
advance."
Transcript
below.
On
August 5,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Peacekeeping's
leader in CAR,
Babacar Gaye,
who said that
the Panel had
visited
Bangui. So, UN
Peacekeeping
knew.
Did
only Ladsous'
DPKO, in the
UN
Secretariat,
know about
this visit by
the
"independent"
Panel? On
August 6,
Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, as
transcribed by
Inner City
Press, video
here:
Inner City
Press: Earlier
in the week, I
asked Farhan
if the panel
would travel
to CAR, and he
said there’s
no way we
would know.
Yesterday
Babacar Gaye
said they have
already
traveled
there. Does
DPKO know
where they’re
traveling, and
you don’t?
Spokesman
Dujarric: I
think the
point is, I’m
not keeping
track of them,
because
they’re
independent.
So, they go
wherever they
need to go,
they do
whatever they
need to do.
They do what
they need to
do. Obviously,
their travel
needs to be
arranged,
there are
logistical
arrangements
that they rely
on us for.
They’re not
traveling on
their own.
There are
logistical and
security
concerns I’m
sure people
know where
they are
going. But it
is not my job
to keep up
with them and
give you a
play by play
of who they’re
talking to or
where they’re
going. We’ll
see what they
come up with
ata the end
and, as I
said, we will
share their
report.
Inner City
Press :Any
update on the
French
prosecution of
the
individuals
accused?
Spokesman
Dujarric: No.
I do not. My
understanding
is that that
investigation
is continuing.
Inner City
Press: Two
questions
about the
Central
African
Republic.
One is just
there was a
study report,
I guess, it
came out on
Friday by
Amnesty
International
about the…
this sort of
forced
conversion of
Muslims in the
Central
African
Republic and
the fact that
many of the
people that
left are
basic… those
were thought
to come from
Chadian or
Sudanese
grandparents
are not
returning.
I wanted to
know if… I
don’t know if
you had some
response or
the UN had
some response
about how its
mission can
deal with
those two
issues.
And the other
one has to do
with the panel
on the sexual…
the
allegations of
the child
sexual abuse
in CAR by
Sangaris.
I wanted to
know if the
panel… I know
you’re going
to say they’re
independent,
but there’s a…
whether they
are, in fact,
going to
travel to the
country to do
any
interviews.
And the reason
I’m asking is,
what is their
budget?
Where does the
budget of the
panel come
from?
And what is
the budget of
the panel?
Deputy
Spokesman:
At this stage,
they are free
to go about
their work as
they see
fit.
They will
submit figures
on their
budget once
they’ve
completed
their
work. At
this stage,
it’s a work in
progress.
We don’t have
nor do we ask
for details
about what
their work is
going to
be. They
will complete
it, and then
they will
inform us of
what their
work is.
So whether it
includes
travel on the
ground or not,
that’s their
call, and it’s
nothing that
we would learn
in advance.
Regarding the
Amnesty
International
report, of
course, we’re
concerned
about the
situation
there.
You’ll have
seen what our
own human
rights
officers on
the ground
have been
saying about
the situation,
and it’s a
tremendous
cause for
concern, both
the
displacements
and the sort
of
inter-community
and
inter-ethnic
and
interreligious
violence that
there’s been.
Inner City
Press:
Could I just…
to understand
the budget
issue.
Obviously,
they’re
supposed to
pay for it out
of their own
pocket and get
reimbursed, or
how is the
actual work of
the panel
being paid for
currently?
Deputy
Spokesman:
We have
different
accounts that
can deal with
expenses, such
as unforeseen
expenditures,
like new
panels.
Regarding what
specific
accounting
they will do,
that… you
know, that
will become
clearer as…
you know, once
they’ve gone
about their
work, so we’ll
have to wait
and see what
they submit
for their
budget.
Now both the
UN's outgoing
-- gone --
"Ethics
Officer"
Dubinsky and
the three
person panel
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon named
to investigate
are under
fire. On July
31, Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about...
Ms. Dubinsky,
the Ethics
Officer
contract
extension,
which would
give her a
lifetime
pension, and
the extension
was given just
as she
discussed
investigating
Mr. Kompass on
the Central
African
Republic rape
allegations.
And I’m asking
you this
because the
head of
Aids-Free
World and Code
Blue, you say
you respect,
as well as the
Government
Accountability
Project, both
find that an
extreme…
extremely
troubling
timing and say
that it calls
for… demands
Secretary-General
Ban’s personal
attention, the
idea of a
conflict of
interest of
giving $12,000
a year for
life to the
person that
was
investigating
the
whistle-blower
of these
rapes.
What’s your
response?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Indeed, I ...
very much
respect the
work that Ms.
Dubinsky has
been doing
over the last
five
years. I
know the
Secretary-General
does as
well.
This is her
last
day.
She’ll be
retiring as of
tomorrow... I
think in
accordance
with UN staff
regulations
and staff
rules, the
authority for
the selection
of staff
members at D-2
Level and
above rests
with the
Secretary-General
including the
retention of
staff members
beyond the
retirement age
should the
need
arise.
The
Secretary-General
attaches great
importance to
the selection
and
appointment of
senior
managers as a
priority seeks
to have smooth
transition
during a
change in
leadership.
We’re not in a
position to
discuss
individual
staff members’
contracts.
The UN has an
obligation to
ensure the
integrity and
confidentiality
of all staff
records.
As I
mentioned, her
term ends
today.
Again, the
Secretary-General
is grateful
for her
work.
And I think,
you know, what
is also of
concern, I
think, is the
fact that some
of her
personal data
was leaked,
was leaked to
the press and
personal
information
concerning
her.
Inner City
Press:
Who’s the next
Ethics
Officer?
If the
rationale for
giving the
extension was
continuity…
Spokesman:
We hope to
announce
someone in due
time.
Inner City
Press:
Has she been
spoken with by
the panel on
these rapes...
Spokesman:
I don’t
know.
The panel is
independent.
I’ve made it a
point to have
no contact
with them
unless asked
to, and I
won’t ask them
who they plan
to talk to.
Inner City
Press:
And just
finally, the
Government
Accountability
Project, again
a respected
organization,
has now said
that two of
the three
panellists are
not, in fact,
independent
because of the
dangling of
future UN
appointments
in front of
the--
Spokesman:
I think the
panel put
together is an
extraordinary
panel. I
think everyone
can always
find something
to argue
with.
They are… they
are people of
great ethical
standard.
They are
people who
have had great
legal careers,
have been
outspoken
human rights
defenders,
have done
great reform
work in the
case of the
Canadian Armed
Forces.
I would ask
people to
judge the
panel on its
report and to
be a little
bit patient
and see what
they come up
with.
But
there is an
ever-growing
pattern here.
After BuzzFeed's
Jina Moore
documented
that when an
aid worker was
allegedly
raped inside
UN
Peacekeeping's
Bentiu
"Protection of
Civilians"
site in South
Sudan, the UN
system
did little to
nothing --
until on July
27, in transcribing
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric's
answer to
Inner City
Press'
questions, the
UN added in a
parenthetical
that Nobert
did not work
for the UN.
On July
30, Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric about
yet another
case in this
unfolding
scandal, this
one again
involving one
of Herve
Ladsous'
peacekeeping
missions, in
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo. Video here.
Inner City
Press: I’m
sure you’ve
seen the story
in The
Guardian,
actually by
one of our
colleagues or
former
colleagues
here, Roger,
about the
systematic
rape by an air
contractor of
the MONUSCO
[United
Nations
Organization
Stabilization
Mission] in
the DRC
[Democratic
Republic of
the
Congo].
And they
basically say
that there’s
some pretty
horrendous
evidence or
descriptions
of what
happened, that
the UN kept
paying the
contractor
after, with
some idea of
rehabilitating
it. But
I wanted to
ask you about,
there was an
OIOS [Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services]
investigation
of it, and it
seems since
it’s also a
vendor, it
obviously
brings up this
other… this
case in
Bentiu, which
it was a
vendor, and
the UN said it
could do
nothing.
First, what
can you say to
those who say
it’s pretty
horrendous to
continue to
pay a
contractor
which raped an
underage girl
in the DRC?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
What is…
What is
horrendous is
what happened
to the victim
and what was
done to the
victim by
those two
employees of
UTair.
We go back to
a story that
was, in fact,
reported, I
think, when it
happened a few
years
back.
Our
understanding
is that the
contractors
have been… at
the time, were
removed and
fired from the
company.
Both the DRC
judicial
authorities
and the
Russians were
informed of
the… of our
investigation
into the
case. As
we explained
in the
article, a
procedure was
put in place
at the time to
monitor the
vendor and the
behaviour of
the vendor and
its
staff.
That
monitoring
mechanism
continues.
Every six
months, it is
reported to
our colleagues
in the
Department of
Management,
who review it.
I think…
Again, I think
the issue of
vendors and
contractors is
a very
legitimate one
to
explore.
Given the
criticality of
air support,
there was a
discussion
among the
Department of
Management.
A system was
put in place
to ensure that
this
particular
company was
monitored and
monitored on a
regular basis,
and that
continues to
do… we
continue to do
that.
The behaviour
of our vendors
and the staff
that work for
them should be
at the same
level of
ethics and
behaviour that
we expect of
our own staff,
as they
represent us.
Inner City
Press:
And was there
any
accountability
for the
victims or
victims in the
DRC, was there
actually any
accountability,
either
criminal or
civil?
Spokesman:
Again, those…
the findings
of the OIOS
investigation,
the UN
investigation,
were presented
to both the
DRC and to the
Russian
authorities,
and I think
you’d have to
ask for them
what happened
on the
criminal
end. As
you know, we
have no
criminal
authority.
Inner City
Press: In the
South Sudan
case, where it
was also an
alleged rape
by an employee
of a vendor,
was any
information
given to the
authorities of
either South
Sudan…?
Spokesman:
I think we’re
still… what
happened to
Megan Nobert
is being
looked
into. As
I’ve said,
both here and
in interviews,
she suffered
horrendously,
and our heart
goes out to
her.
The… you know,
UNICEF [United
Nations
Children’s
Fund], which
was the agency
that had the
contract with
the vendor for
which her
accuser… the
alleged
attacker
worked for,
was in contact
with the
vendor, got
him
removed.
I know our
colleagues at
UNICEF are
absolutely
appalled by
what happened
to Ms.
Nobert.
And when I
have more
information,
I’ll share it
with you.
Question:
One final
thing.
Do you see
this as a
pattern?
And two, for
example, since
it’s a UN
system, did
UNICEF impose
any of these
similar
rehabilitation
and reporting
requirements
on…
[inaudible]
Spokesman:
Like I said, I
don’t have all
the facts
surrounding
this
case. I
think, again,
I would say
that we
expect…
I wouldn’t
call it a
pattern.
I think there
are hundreds,
if not more,
of vendors and
contractors
that work on
behalf of the
UN who do a
spectacular
job, partner
agencies,
partner
humanitarian
NGOs
[non-governmental
organizations].
But we do
expect anyone
who works on
behalf of the
United Nations
to behave to
the same
ethical
standards.
I will…
Inner City
Press: The
pattern I was
asking about
is a pattern
of a lack of
accountability.
Because the UN
is working in
places that
may have not
very good…
not… not very
developed
judicial
systems and
because the UN
itself is
immune…
[inaudible -
the reference
was to the UN
shirking
responsibility
for
introducing
cholera into
Haiti]
Spokesman:
I think it’s
obviously
something we
need… it’s
something we
need to look
at. Our
ability to
prosecute
people
criminally is
obviously not
there.
It’s up to
national…
either the
authority
where the
crime took
place or the
citizenship of
where the
people
worked."
Shouldn't the
UN provide
some
protection and
accountability
for aid
workers in the
employ of
non-governmental
organizations
funded by the
UN system,
particularly
inside UN
"protection"
camps like
that in
Bentiu?
On July
28, Inner City
Press asked
the UN's top
humanitarian,
Emergency
Relief
Coodinatory
Stephen
O'Brien, about
the case. Video here. O'Brien said he had
recently been
in the Bentiu
camp but, not
speaking
specifically
of the case he
said he did
not know, to
his credit he
said that
facts should
be looked into
and
investigated.
But will they
be?
Minutes
later Inner
City Press
asked UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric why
such an
investigation
was not done
in this case
-- did it turn
on the fact
that the
alleged victim
did not work
for the UN
system but for
a UN fundee? Video here.
The UN to its
July 27
transcript
added, "[The
Spokesman
later
clarified that
Ms. Nobert did
not work
directly for
the UN. She
was employed
by an NGO
doing contract
work for a UN
agency.]"
Compare to
actual
briefing, video here.
Not
only did UN
spokesman
Dujarric
refuse to
identify
UNICEF, run by
former US
government
official
Anthony Lake,
as the UN
agency which
did not act on
the alleged
rape, except
to provide
"contact
information"
of the
contractor --
UNICEF, which
was in charge
of the bore
hole drilling
in which the
alleged rapist
was engaged,
has not
directly
responded on
the scandal.
Inner
City Press on
July 27 asked
UN Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric what
accountability
there is when
UN agency
personnel
themselves are
raped. Video
here, and
embedded
below.
Dujarric began
by calling it
a horrendous act
- then said
that what the
UN system did
was give the
victim the
contact
information of
the
contractor.
But, Inner
City Press
asked, since
Sudan-based
Life for
Construction
has let the
alleged rapist
Amed Asmail's
contract
expire, how
will this
"contact
information"
help the
victim?
Dujarric
declined to
even identify
the agency,
which used
public funds
to contract
for water bore
holes for the
Bentiu camp;
when Inner
City Press
asked if it
was UNICEF or
IOM, he cut
the question
off. Video
here.
"has
maintained
staff in
Bentiu and is
rapidly
responding to
the urgent
needs,
drilling new
boreholes for
water, and
today flying
in parts for
the
construction
of new
latrines.
However,
UNICEF said it
remains
hindered by a
lack of
funding and
access."
UNICEF
also sat on
reports of the
sexual abuse
of children in
Central
African
Republic;
we'll have
more on this.
For now,
here's this,
and now UN's
transcript of
briefing - a
[parenthetical]
was later
added,
highlighted
below in bold:
Question:
Sure.
Questions on
Burundi but I
wanted to ask
you something,
you may have
anticipated
coming.
It was a story
which was on
Friday on
BuzzFeed,
quite
detailed,
about an aid
worker in the
UNMISS camp
(United
Nations
Mission in
South Sudan)
in Bentiu, who
alleges that
she was raped
by a UN vendor
or contractor
working for
Life For
Construction.
Basically the
gist of the
article is
that the UN
did absolutely
nothing and
OIOS (Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services) said
they could not
investigate
and there are
no recording
or reports of
sexual abuse
or
exploitation
by vendors
anywhere in
the UN, DPKO
(Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations) or
other
systems.
So I wanted to
know, what is
your response
to it?
What does the
UN owe people
in its
protection of
civilian camps
if they are
raped there,
and why was
nothing done
in this case?
Spokesman:
Well, I think
this was
clearly a
horrendous act
and I think
people who
work, aid
workers,
humanitarian
workers, who
work within UN
camps are owed
the best
possible
protection,
that's
clear.
In this
particular
case, the
agency for
which Ms.
Nobert worked
is greatly
concerned for
the well-being
and safety and
security of
all those
working with
it to deliver
humanitarian
assistance
anywhere in
the world and
it took these
particular
allegations
very
seriously.
[The
Spokesman
later
clarified that
Ms. Nobert did
not work
directly for
the UN. She
was employed
by an NGO
doing contract
work for a UN
agency.] When
it became
clear that the
person accused
of the attack
on Ms. Nobert
was, in fact,
an employee of
a company
hired to
undertake work
for the agency
and not an UN
staff member,
the agency
concluded it
was not a
position to
conduct an
investigation
into the
alleged
actions of
that person
itself.
All of the
agencies
private
contractors
are aware of
the high
standard of
conduct the
agency accepts
from their
staff and the
agency gave
Ms. Nobert the
contact
details of the
employer of
the person
accused of
attacking her,
so that she
could take her
complaint
directly to
the
company.
The agency
also
instructed the
company to
remove the
individual
immediately
from any
project
involving the
agency.
However, given
the highly
sensitive
nature of the
allegations,
the agency had
to respect
both the need
for Ms. Nobert
to raise her
very serious
complaint with
those who can
take actions
and the rights
of the accused
person for due
process.
It therefore
did not share
the specific
nature of the
complaint with
the
contractor,
allowing Ms.
Nobert to
decide on how
and when she
wanted to do
that.
The agency
concerned
believes that
in this
complex
circumstance
it did the
best it could
to support Ms.
Nobert, to
take her
complaint
forward.
I think it's
clear that, in
any of these
cases, we also
need to take a
look how we
responded and
how we can do
better in
responding to
horrendous
cases like
this one.
Question:
Thus seems to
imply…
obviously,
Life for
Construction,
they have
already
terminated the
individual, so
there is no
more
relationship
between them.
So is there…
what is the UN
saying is the
accountability
mechanism for
this alleged
rape?
And, two, you
keep saying
the agency.
Was the agency
in charge of
boring water
holes in the
Bentiu
camp?
Was it UNICEF
(United
Nations
Children’s
Fund), was it
IOM
(International
Organization
for
Migration)?
Which agency
are you
speaking of?
Spokesman:
As the article
makes clear,
Ms. Nobert
specifically
requested the
agencies she
had contacts
with shall not
be named and
we will
respect her
wishes.
Question:
Who is in
charge of
boring the
water holes?
Spokesman:
That is what I
have to share
with you and,
if I have,
more I will
share with
you.
, 
