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SA troops 'raped kids in DRC'
By Kate Holt and Sarah Hughes
South African and other peacekeeping troops have allegedly committed a
string of rapes and other sexual offences against children in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. The United Nations has sent a special team
to the DRC to investigate.
In one case, a South African colonel in Goma was allegedly found during a
UN investigation to have sexually molested his young male interpreter. It
emerged he had requested young male interpreters under the age of 18 since
the start of his mission.
He was repatriated to South Africa, but there is no indication that he was
investigated or prosecuted on his return - and the UN had no power over
him once he returned to SA.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa last night referred queries to
Sam Mkwanazi, Defence Ministry spokesman.
He said he could not comment until his department had received a copy of
the reports of the abuses sent to the UN headquarters.
"I'm hearing about this for the first time. We'll have to check with the
UN's offices about the report and its authenticity," he said.
In the Congo, the colonel and the other soldiers were part of Monuc, the
UN's mission to the DRC.
The UN probe follows an investigation by a Pretoria News sister newspaper,
The Independent in London, and an explosive cable sent last month from the
Monuc office in the DRC capital Kinshasa to the UN headquarters in New
York.
The cable detailed the sexual abuses against minors carried out by Monuc
troops in Bunia, a town in the north-east of the DRC, over the past year.
They numbered a staggering 50.
A second cable was sent, recording a further four allegations and adding
that special attention must be paid to the behaviour of South African
Monuc troops in Kindu, Moroccan Monuc troops in Kinsangani and Monuc
troops from Uruguay, Pakistan and Nepal.
An independent UN investigation team from the Office of Internal and
Oversight Services (OIOS) has now been sent to investigate allegations of
widespread sexual abuse of children.
Besides the colonel, another incident involving SA troops was uncovered by
us in Goma.
They allegedly raped a 12-year-old, identified only as Anna. It was one of
a string of such incidents.
In one day in Goma, 10 girls alleged that they had been sexually abused by
Monuc forces.
Anna, who lives in a shelter for women and girls and who has been raped,
said: "A few weeks ago I was walking past a UN vehicle. There were South
Africa soldiers standing around with guns. They asked me if I wanted a
biscuit. I went up to where they were holding a packet out for me."
"One of them grabbed me, took me inside the vehicle and shut the door.
Then he ripped off my dress and made me do it with him. I was really
scared and tried to get away but he wouldn't let me. He told me if I said
anything he would find me and hurt me."
"He let me go and I ran away but I'm really scared now that he'll find me."
The Congolese head of the NGO which runs the shelter where Anna now lives,
admitted that she hears similar stories on a daily basis. She declined to
give her name. She said: "We've had many cases of young girls coming here
who have been raped by Monuc soldiers - mainly Indian and South African.
Often the soldiers encourage the girls to go near them by offering them
sweets and biscuits. Then they rape them."
Juliane Kippenberg of Human Rights Watch said: "If there are credible
allegations against peacekeepers they should be suspended immediately. If
the investigation finds evidence of sexual abuse they should be
prosecuted."
The situation is complicated by the fact that most Monuc soldiers are only
on six-month postings and, because of the shortness of their stay, are
unlikely ever to face a military investigation. The UN has no legal
authority to follow up on cases once the military takes over the inquiry,
and cannot ensure a repatriated soldier will be prosecuted for rape once
he is back in his own country.
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