Posted on 02/09/2005 8:07:51 PM PST by NormsRevenge
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the Security Council on Wednesday to add at least 100 military police to a Congo peacekeeping mission to help prevent sex abuse of women by the U.N. forces.
In a letter to the 15 council members, Annan reiterated his "personal outrage" at the allegations of sexual exploitation of girls as young as 13 by U.N. peacekeepers in Congo. He said the United Nations is actively working to root out the problem, which has tarnished the reputation of the world body and the nearly 65,000 peacekeepers serving in 16 global hotspots.
"I reiterate my stance - one which I know the members of the council share - that we cannot tolerate even one instance of a United Nations peacekeeper victimizing the most vulnerable among us," Annan said.
Annan appealed to the council for at least 100 military police to help the mission's self-monitoring and enforcement programs. He said there is also an urgent need for French-speaking investigators with special skills in sexual abuse cases.
The allegations first emerged in early 2004, and about 150 complaints were reported. While the United Nations has taken measures to try to stop the abuse, the U.N. watchdog agency said last month abuse by peacekeepers continued.
According to last month's report by the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services, peacekeepers regularly had sex with Congolese women and girls, usually in exchange for food or small sums of money.
Sexual activities continued even while the investigation was going on in the eastern town of Bunia between May and September 2004, the report said.
The United Nations currently has about 11,500 soldiers, 150 civilian police and 700 international staff in Congo trying to support the country's fragile peace process and help it move toward free elections later this year. In October, the council authorized an increase in the U.N. mission to 16,700.
Annan spelled out a number of measures taken by the United Nations and its Peacekeeping Department to tackle the problem, including a non-fraternization policy for peacekeepers, a curfew for military contingents, specialized training for all mission personnel, and development of recreation and welfare opportunities "to alleviate the concentrated stress present in field missions."
Assistant Secretary-General Angela Kane is further investigating the allegations and supporting the U.N. mission in Congo "in developing an effective and sustainable response to the sexual exploitation and abuse issue," he said.
"The success of these efforts in the short term will be measured not by a decrease in allegations, but to the contrary, by a likely increase," Annan said. "Reform in this area will not be without pain, but we are presented with an opportunity we cannot afford to miss."
Looks like a job for Scott Peterson.
How can you tell when Kofee Ass-nan is lying? when his mouth moves.
Congo? Police? Peacekeeping?
There's no way you can put those three words together the same sentence no matter what verbs you use.
Gunnery Sgt Hartman: "I'll make marines out of you if I have to short dick every cannibal in the Congo!"
Anybody see a problem here?
You have women who need money and have only one way to get it, and you have men who have money.
How does the UN propose to stop those people from getting together?
If you aren't informed about this stuff, you will be made sick. If you are informed, you will be made mad, all over again.
Details..Details.
Good question.
If I remember the report it was French troops involved
H.R. 1146 will WITHDRAW the USA from the United Nations' madhouse/cesspool
Go to: http://www.getusout.org/un/index.html . Then go lobby at http://www.conservativeusa.org/megalink.htm .
The United Nations is a corrupt disgrace and it is time for the USA to WITHDRAW from and defund the United Nations. Please tell your senators, congressmen and everyone you know to support Representative Ron Pauls bill H.R. 1146 which would WITHDRAW the USA from the United Nations, prohibit US funds going to the UN and prohibit US troops serving under UN command. H.R 1146 is the American Sovereignty Restoration Act.
Adding 100 more men with guns to police theo other men with guns ... is not going to improve the situation.
Hire the Congolese women and girls as UN peacekeepers and give them the guns.
"Hire the Congolese women and girls as UN peacekeepers and give them the guns."
I guess that would keep the frog-eating surrender sissies away, but what about the indigenous warriors that are creating the trouble in the first place?
I doubt the women and girls would do too well in small-unit firefights with them.
"We need to send more of us to protect you from us."
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