On Day of Peacekeepers, DPKO's Herve Ladsous Covers Up CAR Rapes, Spares FDLR in DRC, Tells Malians to Thanks France

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 28 -- This year's “International Day of the Peacekeeper” is different than the others since the day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002.

UN Peacekeeping finds itself being asked to leave countries, not only Sudan but also the Democratic Republic of the Congo; its chief Herve Ladsous had a spat this months with the president of Mali, and berated Malians for not offering enough thanks not to the UN, but to his native France. This is the state of UN Peacekeeping.

   In the Central African Republic, the UN didn't even tell the government of Catherine Samba-Panza when it had evidence of the sexual abuse of CAR children by French peacekeepers. UN staffer Anders Kompass leaked the report -- and, he says, was urged to resign by the USG of DPKO -- that is, Ladsous.

  Inner City Press has asked Ladsous about these irregularities, including the cover up of rapes in Minova in the DR Congo and in Tabit in Darfur, for some time, with Ladsous strikingly saying on camera, “I do not respond to your questions, Mister.”  (Click here for a video compilation; here if on Periscope on Twitter for the most recent, on Mali, on the Day of the Peacekeeper.)

But on the CAR rape story, Ladsous turned around with three words: “I deny that.” Then he reverted to refusing to answer questions.

  But what is it, that Ladous denies? That he used the word “resign”?  The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights did not dispute Kompass' statement that Ladsous urged him to resign The UN System has acknowledged it as true; Ladsous, perhaps realizing too late its implications for himself, belatedly denied it.

  Ladsous refused an invitation to Rwanda, because their diplomats dared question him. He blew off a UN-sponsored Peacekeeping conference in Uruguay. A journalist who got him on tape blowing up was told to not use it, or have all access cut off. This is Ladsous' DPKO.

   Earlier this month as the UN's Fifth (Budget) Committee tried to look into the CAR rapes and Ladsous' role -- Ladsous did not show up -- an African Permanent Representative sought out Inner City Press and said, “Ladsous should resign.”

  That is what should happen, on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.” But will it? Watch this site.