UN mute as European soldiers allegedly rape teenage African girls
Some European soldiers sent to keep the Central African Republic (CAR) “safe” actually turned CAR teenage girls into objects of sexual gratification.
The allegation is coming from the UN.
Most of the girls are aged between 14 and 16. They were raped by Georgian members of the EU’s operation Eufor, the UN says.
A seven-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy also said they were sexually abused by French troops sent to stem violence between Christian militias and largely Muslim rebels, the BBC is reporting.
When peacekeepers exploit the vulnerability of the people they have been sent to protect, it is a fundamental betrayal of trust. Information about the Allegations was passed from desk to desk, inbox to inbox, across multiple UN offices, with no one willing to take responsibility to address the serious human rights violations.
– reports an independent panel investigating the UN on the issue.
Even the UN has been accused of trying to cover up the mess.
Here’s the rest of the BBC report:
The abuse is alleged to have taken place near a camp for displaced people near Bangui Airport in 2014 but only came to light in recent weeks during interviews with a UN team.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said he was “extremely alarmed” at the continuing allegations against peacekeeping troops.
Last December, an independent panel criticised the UN’s handling of abuse allegations in the CAR, calling it “seriously flawed” and a “gross institutional failure”.
It accused senior UN officials of abusing their authority by failing to take action over allegations of abuse by soldiers from France, Equatorial Guinea and Chad.
France sent 2,000 troops to to its former colony in 2013 and began handing over responsibility to UN peacekeepers last year.
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