UN troops enjoy rape in the Congo.

Foxfyre wrote:

And, if the UN members turn out to be guilty of the allegations for which they apparently are not seriously censuring themselves, should it not even be questioned whether they are the best choice to resume administration of funds and processes in Iraq?

Perhaps. Personally, I don't think your questioning of said appropriateness has anything to do with these abuses.

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This is an awful situation - in a terribly ravaged country. And it gets sadder as you read further in the report:

"Dominique McAdams, the head of the UN in Bunia, admitted there was a problem. "I have heard rumours on this issue," she said. "It is pretty clear to me that sexual violence is taking place in the camp."

McAdams is not the only member of Monuc to be concerned about the behaviour of the soldiers in Bunia. At the beginning of this month, the UN announced that it would launch a full investigation into abuse within the camp. Monuc's spokesman in New York, Fred Eckhard, said: "Monuc is committed to completing a full and thorough investigation into [events at the camp] as a matter of urgency. We will apply all available sanctions against any personnel found responsible."

Yet the gap between the intention to investigate and the reality of investigation remains large. "I have requested evidence and proof on this matter, but I have not received anything from anyone," said McAdams. "UN policy with regard to sexual misconduct, both military and civilian, is very strict. All staff are fully briefed on the consequences of such misconduct."

Part of the difficulty faced by the UN is that the girls involved refuse to give evidence against the soldiers. Extreme sexual violence has been an integral part of the war throughout eastern Congo, but there is currently no recourse for any form of justice: the girls are terrified of all military, foreign and local, making any formal investigation extremely difficult."

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panzade wrote:

I get on Tarantrix all the time about sensational titles.

Someone made a comment about one of my topic titles once. I'm not sure that qualifies as "all the time." Maybe it's McGentulas you're thinking about. Razz

The really sad part is that the UN doesn't even seem to have a way to stop this from happening. And instead of standing up and doing what's right, they blame the process for making them helpless:

Quote:

"Unmil lacks a clear and transparent process for reporting sexual exploitation incidents," says Sarah Martin, the author of the report. "We interviewed representatives of local NGOs and women's groups, international NGOs and many different members of Unmil's staff - no two people could identify the correct person to report allegations or cases of sexual exploitation. In December 2003 Unmil were asked to appoint a community focal point to hear complaints from the community. As of April 2004 this had still not been done."

If anyone doubted before now that the UN is corrupt and little more than useless, this incident might be convincing.

EDIT: It's been going on since January!

Quote:

UN staff in Congo face child sex claims
Financial Times ^ | 5.17.04

UN staff in Congo face child sex claims

By William Wallis in Nairobi

Published: May 17 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: May 17 2004 5:00

One of the United Nations toughest missions in Africa is facing damaging allegations that peacekeeping troops as well as civilian UN personnel have been involved in the systematic sexual abuse of minors.

William Lacy Swing, the Special Representative to the UN Secretary General in the Democratic Republic of Congo, told the Financial Times on Sunday that an ongoing investigation into the allegations would be "thorough" and that strict disciplinary measures would be taken to ensure such abuses do not recur, if the allegations prove founded.

The future of UN peacekeeping operations are being discussed at a special meeting of the Security Council on Monday. One of the UN's hitherto most successful missions in Africa - policing the border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea - is already undermined by similar allegations of sexual abuse, including claims that UN soldiers were involved in paedophilia and pornography.

"We are trying to deal with this issue thoroughly, seriously and with all transparency," Mr Swing said. "We are determined to be highly professional and above reproach. If there is anything in this we will be very firm on it. We have a huge and very important task to accomplish here."

The UN has over 10,000 troops in Congo, supporting a fragile transition from what was Africa's single most deadly war, in which over 3m people are estimated to have died, many from hunger and preventable disease.

UN officials in Congo said the claims of sexual abuse surfaced in January and involved members of a Uruguayan peacekeeping contingent who were allegedly exploiting underaged girls at an internally displaced camp in Bunia, the provincial capital of the troubled province of Ituri. One of the girls involved had been raped repeatedly in the past by Congolese militia.

Preliminary UN investigations showed that the abuse may have been much more widespread than initial claims, involving Uruguayan, Nepalese and Moroccan peacekeepers and possibly others including civilian UN personnel. Girls involved were between 12 and 15 years old.

Quoting from an internal UN cable, one UN official said that "abuse had been taking place in private and abandoned houses, fields, bushes and churchyards."

It's a subscription site so I can't post a link.

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Sam,
Wow, did you ever jump to conclusions. simple statement of a simple fact: rape and war are concomitants. Rape is violence. War is violence. Women also through themselves at the conqueror's forces.

I am sorry you had to bear a baby that was the product of a rape and seemingly could not have had an abortion.

The majority of women have been raped during their life time and I was not an escapee from that fate. I have made enemies by telling the truth that in my experience the more conservative a man is the greater his sexual aggression. Hate me for saying it: the truth probably hurts you more than it hurts me, o man who would defend his philosophy and his gender.

foxfyre,
The US is a hypocritical nation and that hypocrisy has been aired recently by Ben Stein on CBS' Sunday Morning and Gen. Kimmit appearing before Congress. Both said we are the good guys and we can do what we want.

There needs to be an emphasis on ethics, rather than morality. Ethics is the product of intellection and morality is something instilled and unexamined and a fence for hypocrites to hide behind as they throw stones at their betters.

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Dear plainoldme,

I had composed a reply but , timed out. Wiyaka and I need to leave asap, so late Wednesday evening I'll try again.

Sam

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Wow. I really love the thoughts expressed on this thread. So far, the opinions put forth have blamed these disgusting acts against women on Christians and Muslims, men with families, and of course, let's not leave out conservatives. I love that one.

I have a really novel idea. Let's just paint those doing this stuff as sick buggers who should be thrown into as deep a hole as can be found and leave out the bashing of groups until you have some hint of evidence to back up your ridiculous assertions.

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Quote:

The majority of women have been raped during their life time

OK, my BS meter is pegged on this one. Proof, please.

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USA statistics say 1 of every 4 women have been raped. I am not sure if this is based on reported cases or all women responding to surveys. I was unable to find world wide statistics.

Sam

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Although I think 1 in 4 might also be a little on the high side, I could at least believe that number as opposed to a "majority of women". This is why I pay so little attention to posts that make statements without any type of back up whatsoever. While 25% still represents a large number of women, it is much better than that mystical majority spoken of earlier.

Now I am wondering how in the name of sense we got off onto this tangent. Smile

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Foxfire wrote:

IMO, if the United States was accused of the allegations in the Congo and/or the diversion of funds intended to feed and school Iraqis, the hue and cry would be deafening and the headlines would be damning on the front pages of most of the world's newspapers.

U.S. is not alone in the role of the left-inclined media's scapegoat. Massacres regularly taking place in Sub-Saharan Africa are covered much less intensely than death of single Palestinian civilian that happened from random bullet of unknown origin (this might have been shot by the Palestinian militants as well, there was a fire exchange between IDF and Hamas fighters, but who cares?).
Regarding UN peacekeepers. They often prove their uselesness, and the episode described is not the only one. I have once cited, while arguing with a Belgian citizen appearing under nickname Frolic numerous materials regarding Belgian paratroopers (they were a part of the UN peacekeeping force) atrocities in Somalia, where they fried alive a 10-year-old Black boy that has allegedly stolen a can of corned beef.

Quote:

BRUSSELS, Belgium - In "Operation Restore Hope," U.N. peacekeepers from 21 countries went to Somalia to protect and feed a population suffering in the anarchy of civil war.

The 1993-1995 mission staved off mass starvation in Somalia, an accomplishment overshadowed today by allegations that some peacekeepers brutalized the civilians they were there to help.

From Canada to Belgium to Italy, witness accounts and peacekeepers' own souvenir snapshots are laying bare alleged wrongdoing by foreign troops in Somalia, including the torture, rape and murder of Somalis.

Addressing the growing scandal Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan declared in a statement in New York: "I am appalled and outraged by these actions, which are unacceptable and counter to everything peacekeeping stands for."

On the same day as Annan spoke out, trial opened in Belgium for two members of an elite paratroop unit accused of torturing a Somali boy by dangling him over an open fire.

It was a playful game meant to discourage the child from stealing, the lawyer for paratroopers Claude Baert and Kurt Coelus insisted. Prosecutors asked for a one-month jail term for both men.

Other cases of alleged Belgian atrocities expected to come to trial in the coming months include:

A paratrooper force-fed pork and saltwater to a Muslim Somali child until the boy vomited - again, allegedly to discourage stealing.
Soldiers forced another boy accused of stealing into a closed container, where he languished in scorching heat without water for two days. He died.
A Belgian soldier urinating in the face of a Somali, who in a photograph of the incident appears either injured or dead

Source: http://www.oz.net/~vvawai/sw/sw35/Somalia.html
And the picture of frying of the kid by Belgian peacekeepers may be found here: http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/UN/peace.html
In 2000, after Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, Hizballa terrorists killed and stole bodies of three IDF soldiers that patrolled territory on the Israeli side of the border. The UN peacekeepers that were present all the time when the events trook place, not only did not interfere, but later they did their best for not to provide Israel with any information regarding the allegedly abducted soldiers (at that time it was unknown that they were dead).

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Clearly the UN needs to tighten up control of its soldiers, and, just as with American treatment of Iraqi (and, doubtless, Guantanano Bay) prisoners, it is good to see the abuses coming out.

This awfulness makes Abu Graihb (sp?) neither better, nor worse.

Sadly, Steissd, I agree with you re Africa - but I do not see the conspiracy stuff that you do - I think it is simply part of the distance/level of interest and involvement equation that has been discussed here before. That is, the further away something is, the less interest it arouses, unless the population being targeted by the media have a great interest in the far away thing. America, and the west generally, are very interested in the middle east for a variety of historical reasons, plus oil, plus it being such a flashpoint.

Re the rape thing: notoriously difficult to know numbers, because we know that large numbers of raped people (probably especially men) do not come forward - but seemingly DO respond to anonymous random sample surveys.

The figure usually given for Australia for women (where rape includes digital penetration) is 60% - but it is clear that this could be out, in either direction, by quite a lot.

The figure for men I do not recall - but what I do know is that increasingly men are coming forward to rape and sexual abuse therapists - sometimes years after the event - because the climate is making it more possible for them to do so - ie it is not seen as quite such a shameful and emasculating thing for men as it once was. I suspect whatever figure is given for men, it is way down on the actuality.

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CoastalRat wrote:

Although I think 1 in 4 might also be a little on the high side, I could at least believe that number as opposed to a "majority of women". This is why I pay so little attention to posts that make statements without any type of back up whatsoever. While 25% still represents a large number of women, it is much better than that mystical majority spoken of earlier.

'Bout half the women I've known well enough to know such stuff about had been the victim of rape or serious molestation ... I was so shocked at the nth story that I sat down and counted and couldnt believe. Forsure half of, say, ten, isnt much of a statistically sound sample, but its food for thought ... scary, very scary. And I'm just 32.

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Fedral wrote:

And you of course realize that if these had been United States military troops doing these things, it would have been front page news on every newspaper, television and wire service for the next 2 months.

I can see the headlines now:

U.S. troops rape and pillage across the Congo (Bush blamed for out of control troops)

American troops sweep across Congo like Mongol Hordes (Ghengis Rumsfeld needs to take responsiblity)

French, Belgian and swedish Peacekeepers claim: "We were at church when they did it, besides we couldn't stop them"[/i]

Ahhh yes ... the unbiased press ...

In re: to this post/line of thought ...

Reasons why I think this story hasnt provoked anything like as much publicity as the Abu G. stories:

(and be warned, some of these are going to be pretty cynical)

1) I assume Fedral is talking US media - and US media tend to practically only cover cases that involve US soldiers/citizens. Ethnocentric, yeah, but also logical to some degree: its different if someone who represents you (as part of your army or government) commits abuses -- you have more of a citizens' responsibility to pay attention and take action.

That said, it hasnt attracted anything as much publicity as Abu G. here in Europe either, so:

2) Its in Africa. Face it: the image among both media makers and viewers is: in Africa everybody's miserable - there's hunger, war and abuse of all kinds. Its no news ... and nobody wants to know. Misery saturation, no clear answers or grand visions for the future, too depressing.

3) Less is at stake. If "Iraq" goes all wrong, we're all faced with total chaos in the heart of a stretagic nexus - with rival rogue states (with near-WMD), muslim fundamentalism and al-qaeda involvement, masses of world power troops, and one of the world's biggest reservoirs of oil involved. The Congo's been a mess for God knows how long, without it having much of any impact on Americans' or Europeans' daily lives. No unavoidable impetus to pay attention.

4) The UN went in there on request. Most people are long glad that someone went in there to relieve their nagging conscience. The US went into Iraq by choice - and a highly controversial choice it was. Controversial choices tend to attract media spotlights and diplomatic scrutiny.

5) Neither of the two American parties, whose polarisation now pretty much determines the political news output every single day, have much interest to take this one into the ballgame. No strategic advantage to be gained. The Democrats have no use of news that makes the UN look back, and the Republicans (is my guess) dont want the spotlight to go to a continent Bush has sworn to help, but pretty much neglected ever since that grand AIDS program announcement. And since the media let themselves be led by what the two parties feed them in terms of "controversial news items" 80% of the time ...

6) The abuse is not "political". Torturing suspected "enemy" prisoners to get intelligence information (which is what the allegation is) is political -- raping individual women out of, what? Malice? Unscrupulousness? is not. I know - some believe that Abu G. was also just a few individual soldiers being malicious or unscrupulous. But the allegation is of abuse as planned & intended policy. I suppose noone is saying the UN soldiers are raping AFrican women in order to further the political goals of the UN ...

I'm sure you can come up with more. None of it is very pretty - at all. But it isnt as simple as a "liberal bias" that just makes journalists so very eager to bash GI's.

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One in four tends to be the figure that comes out in western countries for child sexual abuse for girls. Again, a difficult figure to get, and obviously subject to error. A figure often arrived at for boys is one in six. Ditto.

Certainly scary. It, and the rape figures, HAVE to be born in mind in my job, when we are often asked to speak about CSA and rape. Thing is, you have to be very careful - because I know, in an audience of any size, chances are that a proportion of the folk in the audience have experienced what I am talking about. Some of them likely will not have disclosed. This can lead to very distressed folk, who suddenly have their trauma re-triggered, and go to pieces in a very public way. Not something the organizers of such little chats think about beforehand, generally.

Re the UN - I am guessing that managing soldiers from lots of different nations, via a bureaucracy, each, I am guessing (?) with their own chains of command, to some extent - makes stopping such abuses more complicated thna in a single army - where the "brass" have a firm will to stop them?

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UN troops enjoy rape in the Congo.

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