AP talked about the mass sexual violence by UN peacekeepers
The Associated Press published an investigation, which concluded that over the last 12 years worldwide, there were almost two thousand cases of sexual abuse by peacekeepers and UN staff.
Peacekeepers and employees of UN missions for the last 12 years systematically commit sexual violence against minors and women, the Associated Press reported, citing data from own investigations in the peacekeeping missions around the world.
The Agency for this period of time have interviewed over 300 victims of sexual violence and brought together more than 2,000 allegations of sexual violence perpetrated by peacekeepers from 23 countries.
For example, according to the Agency, 134 peacekeepers from Sri Lanka were systematically exploited nine children in Haiti from 2004 to 2007. Such data are contained in the UN report, intended for internal use, the Agency said. Of these, 114 peacemakers, mentioned in the report, was sent home, but none of them was imprisoned, AP reported.
The Agency also interviewed victims of sexual offences, current and former UN officials, to find out what was done in order to establish guilt and to punish those suspected of committing violence. According to the conclusions of the authors of the investigation, the staff of UN peacekeeping missions cannot be prosecuted or punished by the organization itself, so to blame or punish for sex crimes peacekeepers can only the authorities of countries whose citizens in these missions consist of, the authors of the report.
“With rare exceptions, only a few countries responded to repeated requests, while the names of the accused persons were kept secret,” write the authors of the study. Thus suspected of having committed crimes of a sexual nature avoid responsibility.
In March, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres announced new measures to combat sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers and other mission personnel, specifies AP. “We will not tolerate those who allow themselves to sexual exploitation or condone sexual violence. We will not allow anyone to hide these crimes from the UN flag,” said he.
The proclamation, according to the Agency, “depressingly familiar”: more than ten years ago the UN produced a report that promised to take measures to end sexual violence by peacekeepers, but most reforms have not been implemented. The study authors note that stopping the violence will be possible only if the UN agreement is concluded the prosecution of such crimes.