This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/04/un-troops-abused-least-eight-females-central-african-republic

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
UN troops 'abused at least eight women and girls' in Central African Republic UN troops 'abused at least eight women and girls' in Central African Republic
(35 minutes later)
United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic raped or sexually exploited at least eight women and girls last year, investigators from Human Rights Watch (HRW) have said.United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic raped or sexually exploited at least eight women and girls last year, investigators from Human Rights Watch (HRW) have said.
New details of the abuse by peacekeeping troops in the war-torn country were released a few days after a UN team revealed it had also turned up more cases of alleged sexual abuse of children in the country by troops. New details of alleged abuse by peacekeeping troops in the war-torn country were released a few days after a UN team revealed it had also turned up more allegations of sexual abuse against children by troops in the country.
HRW said on Thursday the victims of the exploitation it had uncovered included a 14-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman, who gave accounts of being gang-raped by peacekeepers near Bambari airport.HRW said on Thursday the victims of the exploitation it had uncovered included a 14-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman, who gave accounts of being gang-raped by peacekeepers near Bambari airport.
The attacks took place between October and December 2015 – more than a year after the sexual abuse of children in Bangui by French peacekeepers that was brought to worldwide attention by the UN whistleblower Anders Kompass.The attacks took place between October and December 2015 – more than a year after the sexual abuse of children in Bangui by French peacekeepers that was brought to worldwide attention by the UN whistleblower Anders Kompass.
Related: UN finds more cases of child abuse by European troops in CARRelated: UN finds more cases of child abuse by European troops in CAR
HRW said its researchers had uncovered the cases while working in the country last month. Hillary Margolis, the women’s rights researcher at HRW, said: “In a country where armed groups routinely prey on civilians, peacekeepers should be protectors not predators. Sending peacekeepers back home is not enough. The UN needs to insist that troops’ home countries bring rapists and other abusers to justice, and that survivors get the support they need.”HRW said its researchers had uncovered the cases while working in the country last month. Hillary Margolis, the women’s rights researcher at HRW, said: “In a country where armed groups routinely prey on civilians, peacekeepers should be protectors not predators. Sending peacekeepers back home is not enough. The UN needs to insist that troops’ home countries bring rapists and other abusers to justice, and that survivors get the support they need.”
The UN is under pressure to do more to investigate and pursue sexual predators within its peacekeeping ranks, after an independent panel report into the handling of the abuses highlighted by Kompass described its “gross institutional failure” in handling such allegations.The UN is under pressure to do more to investigate and pursue sexual predators within its peacekeeping ranks, after an independent panel report into the handling of the abuses highlighted by Kompass described its “gross institutional failure” in handling such allegations.
HRW said the cases it had uncovered involved peacekeepers in Minusca, the UN mission in the Central African Republic (CAR), who were from the Republic of Congo or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). There are about 800 DRC soldiers in Bambari and elsewhere in the Ouaka province of CAR, and last year between September and December a small contingent of peacekeepers from the Republic of Congo was also deployed to protect the airport. HRW said the cases it had uncovered involved peacekeepers in Minusca, the UN mission in the Central African Republic, who were from the Republic of the Congo or the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There are about 800 DRC soldiers in Bambari and elsewhere in the Ouaka province of the Central African Republic, and last year between September and December a small contingent of peacekeepers from the Republic of the Congo was also deployed to protect the airport.
A 14-year-old girl told HRW researchers that in November last year two peacekeepers attacked her as she walked by the Minusca base at the airport. “The men were dressed in military uniforms and had their guns,” she said in interviews with researchers. “I walked by and suddenly one of them grabbed me by my arms and the other one ripped off my clothes. They pulled me into the tall grass and one held my arms while the other one pinned down my legs and raped me. The soldier holding my arms tried to hold my mouth but I was still able to scream. Because of that they had to run away before the second soldier could rape me.” The 14-year-old girl told HRW researchers that in November last year two peacekeepers attacked her as she walked by the Minusca base at the airport. “The men were dressed in military uniforms and had their guns,” she said in interviews with researchers. “I walked by and suddenly one of them grabbed me by my arms and the other one ripped off my clothes. They pulled me into the tall grass and one held my arms while the other one pinned down my legs and raped me. The soldier holding my arms tried to hold my mouth but I was still able to scream. Because of that they had to run away before the second soldier could rape me.”
The 18-year-old woman said she visited the Republic of Congo base near the airport looking for food in late 2015. She said armed peacekeepers forced her into the bush and gang-raped her. “There were three of them on me. They were armed. They said if I resisted they would kill me. They took me one by one.” The 18-year-old woman said she visited the Republic of the Congo base near the airport looking for food in late 2015. She said armed peacekeepers forced her into the bush and gang-raped her. “There were three of them on me. They were armed. They said if I resisted they would kill me. They took me one by one.”
All the victims were living at a camp for displaced people in Bambari, HRW said.All the victims were living at a camp for displaced people in Bambari, HRW said.
Margolis said all the cases were reported to UN officials in Bambari and Bangui within days of receiving the information. A senior UN official has opened an investigation, according to HRW.Margolis said all the cases were reported to UN officials in Bambari and Bangui within days of receiving the information. A senior UN official has opened an investigation, according to HRW.
HRW said it had urged the UN to make sure victims were looked after, kept safe and given rapid access to medical and psychosocial care.HRW said it had urged the UN to make sure victims were looked after, kept safe and given rapid access to medical and psychosocial care.
The independent panel into the abuse of children by French peacekeepers in 2013-14, which was passed to Paris prosecutors by Kompass, a senior UN employee, heavily criticised the organisation for its failure to treat sexual abuses as human rights abuses.The independent panel into the abuse of children by French peacekeepers in 2013-14, which was passed to Paris prosecutors by Kompass, a senior UN employee, heavily criticised the organisation for its failure to treat sexual abuses as human rights abuses.
Related: UN accused of 'gross failure' over alleged sexual abuse by French troopsRelated: UN accused of 'gross failure' over alleged sexual abuse by French troops
The panel cleared Kompass – who was suspended by the UN – of any wrongdoing in leaking a confidential UN report on the abuses to the French. Kompass said he acted because of the UN’s failure to take action on the abuse. The panel report said UN staff became overly concerned with whether the allegations had been improperly leaked to French authorities by Kompass and focused on protocols rather than action. Among those said to have looked the other way were the UN children’s agency, Unicef, as well as human rights officials.The panel cleared Kompass – who was suspended by the UN – of any wrongdoing in leaking a confidential UN report on the abuses to the French. Kompass said he acted because of the UN’s failure to take action on the abuse. The panel report said UN staff became overly concerned with whether the allegations had been improperly leaked to French authorities by Kompass and focused on protocols rather than action. Among those said to have looked the other way were the UN children’s agency, Unicef, as well as human rights officials.
Kompass has since been completely exonerated after an internal disciplinary hearing.Kompass has since been completely exonerated after an internal disciplinary hearing.
Last week, the UN human rights office said it had uncovered six more cases of sexual abuse against children by European troops in CAR, including a seven-year-old girl who said she had to perform sexual acts on soldiers in return for water and cookies. Last week, the UN human rights office said it had uncovered six more cases of alleged sexual abuse against children by European troops in the Central African Republic, including a seven-year-old girl who said she had to perform sexual acts on soldiers in return for water and cookies.
The UN assistant secretary general, Anthony Banbury, said there were likely to be 69 confirmed allegations of sexual abuse or exploitation in the UN’s 16 peacekeeping missions around the world, including 22 in CAR, for the whole of 2015. Secretary general Ban Ki-moon is to issue a report this month with details of all the allegations from 2015. The UN assistant secretary general, Anthony Banbury, said there were likely to be 69 confirmed allegations of sexual abuse or exploitation from the UN’s 16 peacekeeping missions around the world, including 22 in the Central African Republic, for the whole of 2015. The secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, is to issue a report this month with details of all the allegations from 2015.
The UN can report allegations of sexual abuse to countries, but it is up to the suspects’ nation to prosecute their troops. Many do not.The UN can report allegations of sexual abuse to countries, but it is up to the suspects’ nation to prosecute their troops. Many do not.