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U.N. Official Urges Stronger Action by Peacekeepers in Central African Republic U.N. Official Urges Stronger Action by Peacekeepers in Central African Republic
(about 2 hours later)
GENEVA — United Nations peacekeepers should take tougher action against armed groups to restore stability to the crisis-torn Central African Republic, the United Nations human rights chief said Friday, but they need to be reinforced with more men and attack helicopters to fulfill their mission.GENEVA — United Nations peacekeepers should take tougher action against armed groups to restore stability to the crisis-torn Central African Republic, the United Nations human rights chief said Friday, but they need to be reinforced with more men and attack helicopters to fulfill their mission.
Security has improved in the Central African Republic, an impoverished country of 4.5 million people that was torn apart by ethnic and sectarian violence in 2013, the United Nations official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, said at a news conference. Security has improved in the Central African Republic, an impoverished country of 4.5 million people that was torn apart by ethnic and sectarian violence in 2013, the United Nations official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, said during a news conference.
But speaking in the capital, Bangui, at the end of a four-day visit, he said, “The improvements are too gradual and the achievements are extremely tentative and fragile.” Mr. al-Hussein said that the country was still “gripped with fear,” that about 800,000 people were displaced from their homes and that armed groups still carried out sporadic killings and were still looting cattle and the country’s mineral resources.But speaking in the capital, Bangui, at the end of a four-day visit, he said, “The improvements are too gradual and the achievements are extremely tentative and fragile.” Mr. al-Hussein said that the country was still “gripped with fear,” that about 800,000 people were displaced from their homes and that armed groups still carried out sporadic killings and were still looting cattle and the country’s mineral resources.
“There needs to be a much more robust approach towards these groups,” Mr. al-Hussein said, adding that “the most notorious leaders, with much blood on their hands, are not being arrested, let alone prosecuted, tried and convicted.”“There needs to be a much more robust approach towards these groups,” Mr. al-Hussein said, adding that “the most notorious leaders, with much blood on their hands, are not being arrested, let alone prosecuted, tried and convicted.”
The United Nations has deployed 9,000 troops and 1,580 police officers as well as a sizable civilian component, but countries that pledged to support it needed to make good on their commitments and bring the peacekeeping force up to strength with more troops, attack helicopters and other matériel, he said.The United Nations has deployed 9,000 troops and 1,580 police officers as well as a sizable civilian component, but countries that pledged to support it needed to make good on their commitments and bring the peacekeeping force up to strength with more troops, attack helicopters and other matériel, he said.
Mr. al-Hussein said he had also discussed with the commander of the United Nations force in Bangui the need for measures to curb sexual and other abuses by peacekeeping troops, an issue that exploded onto the United Nations agenda this year when a staff report detailing allegations of abuse of boys by French troops was leaked to the public. Mr. al-Hussein reported on Thursday that the United Nations had received allegations that another French soldier had abused a teenage girl.Mr. al-Hussein said he had also discussed with the commander of the United Nations force in Bangui the need for measures to curb sexual and other abuses by peacekeeping troops, an issue that exploded onto the United Nations agenda this year when a staff report detailing allegations of abuse of boys by French troops was leaked to the public. Mr. al-Hussein reported on Thursday that the United Nations had received allegations that another French soldier had abused a teenage girl.
French troops were not serving with the United Nations, but it later received 13 allegations of abuse by United Nations troops and police officers from four African countries. Last month, the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, fired Babacar Gaye, the head of the United Nations mission in the Central African Republic.French troops were not serving with the United Nations, but it later received 13 allegations of abuse by United Nations troops and police officers from four African countries. Last month, the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, fired Babacar Gaye, the head of the United Nations mission in the Central African Republic.
The allegations have turned a spotlight on an issue that has dogged the United Nations’s peacekeeping missions since the 1990s but the United Nations has no authority to investigate or punish misconduct, a right jealously guarded by nearly 120 states that contribute troops to peacekeeping missions.
Mr. al-Hussein said it was unfortunate that troop-contributing states had repeatedly rejected measures proposed to help curb the incidence of abuse. “It is high time to revisit these ideas and to do so as a matter of urgency,” he said.