No more Indian troops please, Congo tells UN chief
KINSHASA: The Congolese government has written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asking him not to send any more Indian troops to reinforce its peacekeeping mission
India is not mentioned by name, but diplomatic sources told the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is without doubt referring to the Indian contingent of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission.
"In view of the numerous abuses of power carried out by certain troops within MONUC, the (Congolese) people would not understand if soldiers from the same country would be used to boost numbers within MONUC," says the letter, which was read to news agency by diplomatic sources.
Indian peacekeepers have been accused of sexual abuse and MONUC admitted in August that some Indian troops could have been involved.
The letter could prove a major diplomatic embarrassment to the UN. Some 90% of the peacekeepers patrolling the troubled Nord-Kivu region are from India & New Delhi is also providing assault helicopters for the mission.
The UN Security Council voted last Thursday to send 3,000 reinforcements to the country. Which countries will supply the extra troops and when is still to be undecided.
The UN has been criticised for failing to protect the estimated 250,000 displaced people by both the rebels and government forces.
Congolese Foreign Minister Alexis Tambwe Muamba handed the letter addressed to Ban to the deputy head of the UN mission Leilaq Zeerougi on Saturday, the same diplomatic sources said.
MONUC spokesman Madnodje Mounoubai confirmed that a letter from the Congolese foreign minister had been received Saturday, but declined to give details on its contents.
The Congolese government also confirmed Muamba had sent a letter to Zerrougui on Saturday, but gave no further comment.
MONUC has been operating in Congo since 2001. It is one of the largest UN missions worldwide with 17,000 peacekeepers currently deployed there.
Source: AFP, 26 Nov 2008
Indian troops may have engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse in DRC: UN probe
The United Nations says it has uncovered evidence that Indian troops may have engaged in sexual abuse while serving as UN peacekeepers with the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo- MONUC.
A UN statement says "the Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the outcome of a UN investigation" which "revealed prima facie evidence that members of one of the peacekeeping units of the Indian contingent may have engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse."
According to the UN statement, the Government of India has assured the UN that the allegations will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and, if proven, strict and exemplary action would be taken as per the law.
The statement says "the Secretary-General highly values India's long-standing and valuable support for United Nations peacekeeping," and expresses "his respect for all those peacekeepers from India and other troop contributing countries who serve with honour and commitment."
The statement concludes that "the misconduct of a few should not diminish the enormous contribution and sacrifice of the large number of blue helmets who serve the cause of peace."
This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.
Source: United Nations Radio
13/08/2008
UN probes India 'abuses' in Congo
The UN has found that its peacekeeping troops from India may have engaged in abuse and exploitation while serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was deeply troubled by the findings.
The Indian authorities say they are investigating the allegations and the vice chief of the Indian army had visited Congo in May to look into them.
India has said it will take strict action against the perpetrators if the allegations are proved.
One UN official said there may have been abuse of young girls and boys by at least 10 Indian peacekeepers.
'Wholly unacceptable'
A UN statement said an internal investigation "revealed prima facie evidence" that the Indian troops in the UN's Congo mission Monuc "may have engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse".
The cases occurred over a period of several years, a UN official told Agence France-Presse and the troops were now back in India.
The UN statement said Mr Ban "reiterates, in the strongest possible terms, that such behaviour, if substantiated, is wholly unacceptable".
No further details were released of the allegations.
But UN officials say the cases occurred in North Kivu province, where peacekeepers have been policing a truce between the government and militiamen.
Source: BBC
Congo spotlight on India
Much of the report is based on confidential UN documents.
Concerns were first raised within the UN about Indian troop activities in eastern DR Congo in July, 2007.
After discussions between the UN and India, it was agreed that a UN investigation team would "determine whether the allegations are credible and require full investigation by India and the United Nations".
That team identified five areas involving Indian troops in which a UN report says allegations have been "corroborated":
- The illegal purchase of gold from rebels of the FDLR - the former Rwandan army that fled to Congo following their involvement in the Rwanda genocide of 1994
- The use of a UN helicopter to fly into the Virunga national park, to exchange ammunition for ivory with the rebels
- The exchanging with the rebels of UN rations for gold
- The buying of drugs from the rebels
- The failure to support the disarmament of this rebel group.
'Trivial'
It says there is sufficient evidence to take action against three named Indian peacekeepers over attempts to trade in gold (some of which turned out to be counterfeit) and the unlawful detention of one of the traders.
It says that there is insufficient evidence to act against Indian peacekeepers over the other allegations.
The memo, from the UN's Vladislav Guerassev, says the allegations "may have the potential to damage the reputation of the Indian military and the United Nations".
Therefore it says the Indian authorities "may wish to consider other avenues of inquiry, which fall outside the purviews of the (UN's Investigation Division) investigations."
In response to the allegations the Indian High Commission in London told the BBC that the allegations over trading in gold were a "trivial case" and that the three soldiers concerned were being investigated by the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).
If found guilty, they would face disciplinary action, the High Commission said.
It also said that the OIOS "has affirmed that there is no evidence of any other allegation against the Indian troops in DR Congo" including the allegations of "the arming of a militia".
By Martin Plaut
BBC News
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