Posted on 07/24/2007 7:14:40 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
UN confirms inquiry of sexual abuse cases in Ivory Coast
23/07/2007 18:05 ABIDJAN, July 23 (AFP)
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast confirmed it was investigating cases of sexual abuse of Ivorian women, including young girls, by some Moroccan soldiers.
"There was an internal investigation which proved the facts, but we are waiting the results of the full investigation led by our internal affairs services, which will confirm the facts," UN spokeswoman Margarita Amodeo told AFP.
"There are minors among the victims concerned," she said.
The United Nations at the weekend suspended a Moroccan peacekeeping unit based in Ivory Coast after an internal probe into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by some of its soldiers.
A full investigation has now been launched into the claims, which centre on a 732-strong Moroccan contingent based in Bouake in the rebel-held north of the divided country, the UN said.
Amodeo said the results so far showed that the cases were confined to the one peacekeeping unit based in Bouake, but involved dozens of troops.
"The investigators are in the process of gathering all the facts," she added.
The UN mission known by its French acronym of ONUCI started an internal probe in Bouake several months ago following reports from locals, Amodeo said.
Further investigations were being carried out at UN headquarters in New York but the "seriousness" of the allegations prompted the UN to suspend the peacekeeping unit involved and confine the soldiers to their camps.
Shutting the troops in their barracks was a preventive measure, said Amodeo.
"As soon as the facts are confirmed, the concerned individuals will be repatriated to their countries and tried by competent military authorities there," she added.
"An ONUCI internal investigation revealed serious and widespread allegations of cases of sexual exploitation and abuse by a UN unit in Bouake," Amodeo said in a statement.
Human rights groups in Ivory Coast expressed outrage at the allegations levelled against the troops and urged Morocco to ensure culprits face justice back home.
The UN deployed peacekeepers to Ivory Coast in 2003 to oversee a ceasefire between the rebels, who held the north of the former French colony following an attempted 2002 coup against President Laurent Gbagbo, and the government troops who held the south.
The UN has around 8,000 peacekeepers stationed in the one-time beacon of stability and economic powerhouse of west Africa. They are backed by more than 3,000 French troops.
Morocco has the second-largest UN contingent after Bangladesh.
It is the will of Allah, blessed be his name.
More news of rape and savagery, courtesy of "The Religion Of Peace."
Expect the United Nations to whitewash this scandal.
Hell, they are just practising freedom of religion, give’em a break.
And, they’re on our payroll.
These are Ted Turner’s and the rest of the whacked out lefts soldiers. They are the ones who support the UN and then have the gall to bash our own fine military.
Trick or treat for UNICEF....who’d thunk that this would’ve been the “trick”?
No wonder our guys don’t want to wear the blue helmet and answer to UN ‘officers’
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