UN in Congo Accused of Whoring and Working with War Criminals, Doss Blames Victim's Family, Cites Due Process

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/drc2doss101609.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 16 -- The UN's Mission in the Congo, MONUC, faces accusations from its host and a rapporteur. The UN's expert on summary executions Philip Alston in a October 15 report detailed, among other things, that a unit of the Congolese army in Shalio killed 50 refugees and raped 40 women.

Inner City Press on October 16 asked MONUC chief Alan Doss about the unit and its commander, Colonel Zimulinda, who is still serving with the Congolese Army with which MONUC works. Doss replied that there is an investigation, as he did about charges about his own scandals, click here for Inner City Press' other story on this today.

The Congolese Ambassador Ileka Atoki told the Security Council that on July 31 - August 1, UN blue helmets under Doss' command engaged in "sexual deviance," turning a spot near Congo's N'djili International Airport into a "baisodrome."

This was chastely translated as brothel, but the connotation is larger. He asked the Council and Inner City Press asked UN Spokesperson Michele Montas, what about the UN's vaunted 2005 "zero tolerance" policy on sexual abuse and exploitation​?

While on his own scandals Doss simply refused to comment, on this he blamed the victim, or the victim's family, saying that her brother asked for money. In the United States, a civil suit or request for a settlement does not prove that the underlying wrong did not occur, not does it absolve the UN under its own rules and proclamations. We will await the UN Secretariat's response, which was requested.

Doss said in the Council and to the Press that in the right circumstance his MONUC would withdraw support from Congolese Army units engaged in abuse. But he has never done so. Alston's report contains other abusive FARDC commanders' names: Sultani Makenga, Bernard Byamungu and Salumu Mulenda . What if anything will Doss do? Watch this site.

Admittedly, MONUC's job is not easy. But of late even some of Doss' supporters have begun to voice more loudly that he may not be the right official for the job.

Now Doss' deputy Ross Mountain is leaving, as talks about the future of MONUC have begun, in Washington. Perhaps a fresh beginning in both posts would work best.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/drc2doss101609.html