When Will Children Be Safe from UN “Peacekeepers”?

When Will Children Be Safe from UN “Peacekeepers”?

“For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 8:11, KJV

It doesn’t matter which recent headline you choose, United Nations “Peacekeepers” are not only abusing their positions, they are continuing to sexually abuse minor children.

UN Probes Alleged CAR Child Abuse by Peacekeepers

UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic face fresh abuse claims

New allegations of sexual abuse against four girls by UN Peacekeepers

UN Peacekeeping in Crisis as Fresh Child Abuse Allegations Emerge in CAR

According to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation:

“The head of MINUSCA and UN Special Representative, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, said that every allegation of sexual exploitation and abuse would be thoroughly investigated, and that in this latest case, a fact-finding mission was already underway.

He said that UN personnel were collaborating to establish the facts, and said there was “no place in UN peacekeeping for those who betray the trust of the people we are here to help”.

His predecessor in the job was asked to resign by the Secretary-General last August following earlier allegations of sexual abuse against blue helmets in the Central African Republic.”

Blue helmets? The UN “peacekeepers” are referred to as “blue helmets”? How friendly and ‘peacekeeperish’ is that? The helmet color of UN “peacekeepers” is blue although it almost certainly does not matter to the children who are raped by men in helmets that carry weapons and ride in tanks.

According to Newsweek:

“MINUSCA [the U.N. peacekeeping mission in CAR] declined to specify which countries the accused peacekeepers came from or how many were involved in the allegations. Unnamed sources told AFP that the peacekeepers came from Gabon, Egypt and Morocco, and AFP reported that the allegations brings the total number of sexual abuse cases against U.N. peacekeepers in CAR to 26.”

Twenty-six may not sound like a high number however, most of these crimes of a sexual nature go unreported. Sexual exploitation and abuse allegations against UN “peacekeepers” has a long and sordid history. Reducing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping: Ten Years After the Zeid Report states:

“In 2004, after numerous allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by United Nations (UN) peacekeepers made international headlines, both the UN Security Council and US Congress deliberated over what actions should be taken to solve the problem of peacekeepers violating the populations they were sent to protect. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked the Permanent Representative of Jordan, His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, a former civilian peacekeeper and the UN ambassador of one of the major peacekeeping troop contributors, to prepare a comprehensive report on sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping missions. The Zeid Report, released in March 2005, recommended the establishment and implementation of a comprehensive strategy to eradicate SEA by UN peacekeeping personnel.”

There’s just nothing like a comprehensive government report to fix any situation. What a sad commentary on those who are supposed to be keeping the peace!

V. Love also writes for Watchmen News where this article first appeared.