By Matthew Russell Lee, Video
UNITED NATIONS, April 20 -- The UN has disclosed child rape charges against one of its peacekeepers from Nepal in South Sudan, in a 6 pm Friday dirty data dump that has become the UN norm. The child rape allegation is accompanied by another sexual exploitation allegation against a South African UN peacekeeper in the DR Congo, both dated April 20 like an earlier one against a peacekeeper from Niger, the dating of which the UN never explained when Inner City Press asked. Six UN cases of sexual exploitation by peacekeepers were disclosed on the UN's website at 5 pm on Friday 13 April, in what can only be described as a dirty data dump. One involves alleged child rape by a UN civilian contractor in South Sudan, four involve Nigerian soldiers in Liberia, and one a soldier from Nigeria in the Central African Republic. This last is dated April 20, which hasn't yet arrived. The data, and the UN, is dirty in at last two ways. As this batch was being released, UNSG Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric left whistling; he does not answer Inner City Press' written or even some in-person questions. (This may be his boss' orders, see Guterres' non-answer on April 13, here.) On April 16, Inner City Press asked Dujarric in person, as it had on April 14 in writing without response, about the discrepancies. He at first dodged, then dissembled. From the UN Transcript: Inner City Press: I'd wanted to ask you, it seems like, on Friday, at just after 5 p.m. the UN disclosed a new set of sexual exploitation and abuse cases. So, I'd… I'd asked you immediately thereafter why one of them is dated 20 April. And it seems like, since we haven't reached then yet… maybe they're reading into the future, but that's a case in the CAR [Central African Republic], which you were just talking about, Niger, sexual exploitation. There's a case of child rape, alleged child rape, by a civilian UN contractor in UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] and several cases from UNMIL [United Nations Mission in Liberia], I guess from the past. One… so, what can you say about these cases? What's being done on them? Two, why is one of them dated in the future? And then I have a question about UNAIDS [Joint United Nations Programme against HIV/AIDS]?
Spokesman: I don't know why the dating issues…
Inner City Press: I'm looking at it.
Spokesman: I'm not debating the veracity of what you're telling me. I'm just saying I don't know, which happens to be a fact on a lot of things, in fact. The UNMISS case relates to allegations of rape of a 15-year-old minor, implicating a local contractor from the UN Mission in South Sudan, which resulted in a pregnancy. We're, obviously, deeply concerned about the serious allegation which was reported in late March. Through the support of our partners and the victim rights advocate on the ground, the victim has received immediate medical and psychosocial assistance. The allegations are being investigated by OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services], and the local authorities are also informed of the allegations.
Inner City Press: But… so, do they have immun… I guess my question is, it says OIOS, but it seems like, if this is a… a local staff that's presumably allegedly raping a local citizen, is it subject to local law?
Spokesman: It's a local contractor. I think we're… it's being investigated.
Inner City Press: And on UNAIDS?
Spokesman: I'll come back to you on UNAIDS.... [Later]
Spokesman: I don't know why the dating issues…
Inner City Press: I'm looking at it.
Spokesman: I'm not debating the veracity of what you're telling me. I'm just saying I don't know, which happens to be a fact on a lot of things, in fact. The UNMISS case relates to allegations of rape of a 15-year-old minor, implicating a local contractor from the UN Mission in South Sudan, which resulted in a pregnancy. We're, obviously, deeply concerned about the serious allegation which was reported in late March. Through the support of our partners and the victim rights advocate on the ground, the victim has received immediate medical and psychosocial assistance. The allegations are being investigated by OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services], and the local authorities are also informed of the allegations.
Inner City Press: But… so, do they have immun… I guess my question is, it says OIOS, but it seems like, if this is a… a local staff that's presumably allegedly raping a local citizen, is it subject to local law?
Spokesman: It's a local contractor. I think we're… it's being investigated.
Inner City Press: And on UNAIDS?
Spokesman: I'll come back to you on UNAIDS.... [Later]
Inner City Press: I just am saying the column that I was reading to you about 20 April 2018, it says "date" at the top of it.
Spokesman: I have no doubt that you are right." And still, ten hours later, nothing. Meanwhile at the UN Stakeout, Guterres' envoy on Sexual Violence and Conflict said she no longer reports on UN abuse, Periscope video here, it's up to Jane Holl Lute - who says she doesn't follow the details. Guterres is making the UN worse and worse. Watch this site. Inner City Press earlier in the month first reported and asked about two ten new cases, by a Burundi soldier in the Central African Republic, and a Gambian police figure in Liberia, before that UN Mission closed. The CAR mission MINUSCA is very much ongoing, making the alleged sexual exploitation by the force sent by "Eternal Supreme Guide" Pierre Nkurunziza all the more problematic.
Spokesman: I have no doubt that you are right." And still, ten hours later, nothing. Meanwhile at the UN Stakeout, Guterres' envoy on Sexual Violence and Conflict said she no longer reports on UN abuse, Periscope video here, it's up to Jane Holl Lute - who says she doesn't follow the details. Guterres is making the UN worse and worse. Watch this site. Inner City Press earlier in the month first reported and asked about two ten new cases, by a Burundi soldier in the Central African Republic, and a Gambian police figure in Liberia, before that UN Mission closed. The CAR mission MINUSCA is very much ongoing, making the alleged sexual exploitation by the force sent by "Eternal Supreme Guide" Pierre Nkurunziza all the more problematic.
