In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Video

UNITED NATIONS, March 23 -- Four UN cases of sexual exploitation and one of child rape were disclosed late on March 19 on the UN's website and Inner City Press immediately reported them: 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. 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.

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Past (and future?) UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA
For now: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2018 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for