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UNITED
NATIONS, April 13 --
Six
UN cases of
sexual
exploitation
by
peacekeepers
were disclosed
on the UN's
website at 5
pm on Friday
13 April, in
what can only
be described
as a dirty
data dump. One
involves
alleged child
rape by a UN
civilian
contractor in
South Sudan,
four involve
Nigerian
soldiers in
Liberia, and
one a soldier
from Nigeria
in the Central
African
Republic. This
last is dated
April 20,
which hasn't
yet arrived.
The data, and
the UN, is
dirty in at
last two ways.
As this batch
was being
released, UNSG
Antonio
Guterres'
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric left
whistling; he
does not
answer Inner
City Press'
written or
even some
in-person
questions.
(This may be
his boss'
orders, see
Guterres'
non-answer on
April 13, here.)
Inner City
Press earlier
in the month
first reported
and asked
about two ten
new cases, by
a Burundi
soldier in the
Central
African
Republic, and
a Gambian
police figure
in Liberia,
before that UN
Mission
closed. The
CAR mission
MINUSCA is
very much
ongoing,
making the
alleged sexual
exploitation
by the force
sent by "Eternal
Supreme Guide"
Pierre
Nkurunziza all
the more
problematic.
Since South
Africa has
been allowed
to get away
with not even
suspending its
accused
soldiers - the
UN even tried
to cover this
over with a
colloquy, see
below - one
wonders how
the UN will
proceed with
Burundi. When
also wonders,
when did the
UN become
aware? On
April 5, Inner
City Press
asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN
transcript here: Inner
City
Press:
I'd wanted to
ask about,
yesterday, it
seems it
was…
that it was
yesterday
that…
that new
sexual
exploitation
allegations
went up on the
website.
The last time
that I was
asking was
about
the… the
most recent
ones were five
from… in
the DRC
[Democratic
Republic of
the Congo] by
South African
troops.
They
were…
they were
dated on the
website March
20th.
And now two
more have gone
up, but
they're both
backdated
or…
somehow
they're dated
March
20th.
So, it's a
little
difficult to
know, but I
had not seen
them
before.
So, I want to
ask you about
them.
One is a
Burundian
troop in
MINUSCA in the
CAR [Central
African
Republic].
The other is a
Gambian police
officer in the
now closed
UNMIL.
Spokesman:
Right.
Inner
City Press:
What… is the
dating
correct?
Was…
what explains
the gap
between
putting them
up and… and
them being
dated that
date?
And, two,
what's the
status of
the… of
the
Burundian?
Particularly,
that mission
is still
open. Is
the person
suspended, not
suspended?
Spokesman:
I don't know
why the issue
of the dating
was.
But,
obviously, as
you know, the
Secretary-General
has pushed
forward, and
we have been
implementing a
policy of much
greater
transparency
in putting up
allegations as
they come to
us and to the
Conduct and
Discipline
Unit.
The one you're
referring to
about Burundi
was reported
last month to
the Mission in
the Central
African
Republic.
It relates to
an
exploitative
relationship
between a
member of the
Burundian
military
contingent who
had been
formally
deployed in
the Mission
and an adult
female.
The alleged
victim has
received
medical
assistance
from an NGO
inter-SOS and
was referred
to our partner
UNFPA for
further
assistance.
The UN has
requested the
Member State
to inform us
whether it
will appoint a
national
investigative
officer.
They have
until March
9th to respond
to the
request.
My reading of
this is that
the military
person in
question is no
longer
deployed
there.
Inner
City
Press: When
you say March
9th, you mean
April
9th. I'm
just… I'm… I
don't
know. I
just heard you
say that.
I'm just… if
it's possible
to know going
forward, just
for reporting
purposes, if
something goes
up…
Spokesman:
I didn't say
March, did I
say March 9th?
Inner
City Press:
You did, but
it doesn't…
Spokesman:
Okay.
No, I didn't
mean March
9th.
Inner
City Press:
My point is,
can…
maybe you can
find some
answer.
In terms of
seeing these
things when
your office is
closed or
wouldn't
otherwise
respond to an
email, it's
hard to know
if they're… to
call them new…
are they new?
If you put
them up in
April…
Spokesman:
If they're up
on the website
for the first
time, they're
clearly new.
Inner
City Press:
Okay.
So, what does
it mean to say
March 20th?
That's when
they became
aware, and it
just happens
to be the same
date as all…
Spokesman:
That's when
the Mission
became
aware.
But, I mean,
the point is,
we're talking
about a few
weeks.
Inner City
Press: You
understand the
word… to
use the word
"new," we
don't want to
misuse the
word…
Spokesman:
As I said, if
you haven't
seen it, it's
new to you."
What an
organization.
Watch this
site. On March
19 Inner City
Press immediatelyreported
on the
previous
cases: all in
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo, the
accused all
from South
African, all
cases
"pending."
Since there
was a recent
group of "UN
SEA"
allegations
against the
South African
contingent in
DRC, it was
unclear if
these were the
same or
related case.
So Inner City
Press on March
20 asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, who
as it turned
out had a
prepared
if-asked
statement,
that these are
in fact new
cases, that
the UN is
concerned -
but not so
concerned that
he read out
the statement
without being
asked, by the
press he threw
out of the
Briefing Room
and still
restricts.
This is the
UN's
disclosure,
once a month,
while they
spin. Since
then South
Africa has
said it will
not suspended
the troops
during their
own
investigation.
On March 28
outside the UN
Security
Council
meeting on
Peacekeeping,
Inner City
Press asked
Council member
Sweden's
Ibrahim
Baylan,
Minister for
Policy
Coordination
and Energy, if
troops
shouldn't be
suspended once
the UN finds
probably cause
to put on the
list. His
answer is here
- and it seems
that the
answer is yes.
Meanwhile,
South Africa's
SABC spin
continues,
witness this
"interview"
allowing the
SA minister to
speak at
length in
defense and
obfuscation.
And this too
is how the UN
works, or
doesn't:
Agence France
Presse a day late
reported the
story, making
it appear that
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric had
unilaterally
disclosed the
rape. But this
wasn't enough
spin: after
Inner city
Press on March
22 asked
Dujarric to
describe South
Africa's
(lack) of
coordination
with the UN in
investigating
and he
promised to
return with an
answer, on
March 23 he
called on
SABC, "Mr
President" of
the UN
Correspondents
Association,
for whom
Dujarric
previously
evicted Inner
City Press
from the
briefing room
and its
office, for a
colloquy on
South Africa -
UN
cooperation.
Then Inner
City Press
asked about
the SANDF
spokesman
bragging no
one is
suspended
until proven
guilty. Inner
City Press
asked if those
accused could
be
re-deployed,
then, to other
UN missions.
Dujarric
didn't say no
- he
repeatedly
dodged the
questions.
Video here.
We'll have
more on this -
and this: on
March 22
Reuters "reported"
that "U.N.
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric was
cited as
saying late on
Tuesday in a
transcript
sent to
Reuters on
Wednesday." So
the news hook
was when
Reuters got by
email - or
carrier
pigeon? - the
transcript of
Dujarric
answer to
Inner City
Press'
question about
a story Inner
City Press had
already
published, and
was in Google
News. This
took Reuters
three people:
"Reporting by
Fiston
Mahamba;
Writing by Tim
Cocks; Editing
by Alison
Williams." But
see video,
and transcript
here
and
below. On
March 22, Inner City
Press asked Dujarric
more, UN transcript
here:
Inner City Press:
since I'd asked you
about the new South
Africa… DRC
[Democratic Republic
of the Congo]
allegations of
sexual, as I'm sure
you've seen, based
on your answer to
that question, the
South African
National Defence
Force has fired,
only with words,
saying that it's
disturbing and
disconcerting that
they're being… it's
said that they're
cooperating with the
UN in such matters
when the truth is
the opposite.
So, I just wanted to
ask you, not… are
you satisfied with
their
cooperation?
Have they allowed…?
Spokesman: I
have no… I will try
to get an
update. I have
no update since…
concerning their
cooperation since we
briefed you last,
but I will get you
something." Even
with his if-asked,
Dujarric could not
explain the notation
on each case
"Pending ID of
personnel involved."
He promised to
revert on this,
which he has yet to
do on Inner City
Press' March 19
question about UN
action on PTSD after
two suicides by
Japanese
peacekeepers after
returning from South
Sudan. And he didn't
by late March 20
when this
UN transcript went
online: Inner City
Press: the other one
has to do with these
new cases of sexual
exploitation and one
case rape that were
put on the conduct
and discipline
website
yesterday.
They seem to be in
the Democratic
Republic of the
Congo, they involve
South African
personnel. I
know that we've
heard of this
before… we've heard
of one round of
these. I'm
just wondering, if
these are the ones
that were previously
disclosed, I guess,
before going in this
monthly data… data
dump, why is it that
every… every line is
pending, including
identity… pending ID
of personnel
involved?
Spokesman: No,
I think these are
new cases that took
place… alleged to
have taken place
between 2014 and
2016 in North Kivu
and in South Kivu.
Inner
City Press: Right.
So when did the UN
become aware of
them? Because
I noticed these are
done basically on a
monthly basis.
It's not like
they're…
Spokesman: No,
they're done…
Inner
City
Press: So,
it's always on the
20th? [Cross talk]
Spokesman: The
Mission has received
reports of sexual
exploitation and
abuse involving five
members of South
African military
contingent in the
DRC. According
to the information
available at this
time, all five
incidents involve
paternity and child
support
claims. Four
of the incidents
were reportedly
ongoing sexually
exploitative
relations with
adults. One
incident concerns
the sexual abuse of
a minor, though she
is now an
adult. As I
said, the incidents
took place in 2014…
between 2014 and
2016, both in North
and South
Kivu. Ensuring
the provision of
assistance to
victims is our
priority. The
women and children
have been referred
to UNFPA (United
Nations Population
Fund) and UNICEF
(United Nations
Children’s Fund)
respectively for
support and
assistance.
The Mission will
continue to monitor
their well-being and
needs, as well as
provide any
additional
assistance, such as
the collection of
DNA samples for
paternity
testing. We
have informed the
Member States of
this allegation and
have requested that
the National
Investigative
Officers be
appointed between
five… within five
working days and the
investigation's
being completed with
new reduced 90-day
timeframe, due to
the serious concern
raised by the new
allegations.
We've also requested
that the
investigation be
jointly conducted
with a team from
OIOS (Office of
Internal Oversight
Services), but our
requests for a joint
investigation was
previously rejected
by the South African
Government for the
last set of
allegations.
So, we do expect
that that may be the
case here, as
well. We're,
of course, gravely
concerned about the
allegations, which
come only a month
after three reports
of sexual
exploitation
involving the South
African military
contingent were
received by the UN
Mission in the DRC
(MONUSCO).
Allegations against
this contingent
continue to occur,
despite our
sustained efforts to
partner with Member
States and to
prevent and address
sexual exploitation
and abuse, as well
as other forms of
misconduct.
The Mission and its
partners on the
ground encourage
anyone who becomes
aware of such
behaviour to report
so that it can take
action. We put
the victims' rights
and dignity first
and are committed to
ending impunity for
all sexual acts.
Inner
City
Press: So
that was what was in
the binder.
Spokesman: No,
it was not in the
binder. I
carried it
separately.
Inner City Press:
Oh, great.
Could I ask just one
thing, because it's…
I'm just wondering
because it says down
this column called
"interim action”,
"pending ID of
personnel
involved".
Does that mean that,
despite this lengthy
statement, that the
UN has no i… knows
who the victims are,
but has no idea who
the alleged…
Spokesman: No,
that… I don't
believe that's the
case." No follow up.
Amid the UN's decade
long claim of “zero
tolerance” for
sexual abuse and
exploitation, on
March 13 a press
conference was
announced with
decade long, now
part-time, UN
official Jane Holl
Lute. Inner City
Press asked her why
the UN Peacekeeping
mission UNMISS has
denied South
Sudan's
request for a role
in investigating
alleged sexual abuse
of South Sudanese
IDPs in Wau by UN
Police from Ghana.
Video here.
Back in late
January UN international
staff member in Mali was
disclosed to have been accused
of rape, and an Ethiopian
peacekeeper with the UN
Mission in Liberia was accused
of sexual exploitation. While
the alleged rapist - the UN
has not disclosed his
nationality - has been put on
leave, the sexual exploitation
change is listed only as
"pending." Photo here.
UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres says he has a "zero
tolerance" policy for sexual
harassment - this as he held
an UNdisclosed (until Inner
City Press asked),
and many say UNjustifiable,
meeting with Sudan's Omar al
Bashir indicted for crimes by
his forces in Darfur.
Guterres chief of "Global
Communications" Alison
Smale argued that all UN
staff including victims should
"speak with one voice" which
several staff told Inner City
Press they took to mean, Don't
make the UN look bad.
On
March
13, Inner
City Press also
asked how
soldiers for example
from Sri Lanka are
vetted by the UN,
given a showing that
the four past
commanders sent from
Colombo to UNIFIL
had troubling war
records. Related
story here.
She
referred the UNMISS
question to her
Conduct and
Discipline Unit
colleague, who said
joint investigations
should be possible
under the model
Status of Forces
Agreement (certainly
news to Juba).
The
second question on
vetting wasn't
answered at all.
There was a third
question, which
Inner City Press
also put to
Secretary General
Antonio Guterres'
spokesman Stephane
Dujarric: how did
the UN investigate
the complaint by the
Bishop of Bangassou
in the Central
African Republic
that IDPs there were
sexually exploited
by UN “peacekeepers”
and some became
pregnant?
Dujarric
cited OIOS, the same
UN Office of
Internal Oversight
Services in which
the South Sudanese
government said it
has no confidence.
Dujarric added that
Guterres met the
Bishop during what
Inner City Press
dubbed, from a DPI
Town Hall meeting,
his “litmus
test” visit to
CAR.
In the
March 13 press
conference Inner
City Press asked if
Jane Holl Lute's
office (report here)
has jurisdiction
over alleged abuse
or exploitation by
UN officials against
UN staff or
contractors, as is
alleged at UNFPA
in India. Getting no
answer, Inner City
Press tried to
explain: blue on
blue SEA.
Jane
Holl Lute said she
doens't like - or
has zero tolerance
for - the term “blue
on blue.” But what
about the UNFPA
case? Or one was are
looking into
regarding UNHCR in
Sri Lanka under
Guterres? Watch this
site.
***
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