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[Kabouter]

A senior United Nations aid worker has been suspended for disclosing to prosecutors an internal report on the sexual abuse of children by French peacekeeping troops in the Central African Republic.

Sources close to the case said Anders Kompass passed the document to the French authorities because of the UN’s failure to take action to stop the abuse. The report documented the sexual exploitation of children as young as nine by French troops stationed in the country as part of international peacekeeping efforts.

Kompass, who is based in Geneva, was suspended from his post as director of field operations last week and accused of leaking a confidential UN report and breaching protocols. He is under investigation by the UN office for internal oversight service (OIOS) amid warnings from a senior official that access to his case must be “severely restricted”. He faces dismissal.

The treatment of the aid worker, who has been involved in humanitarian work for more than 30 years, has taken place with the knowledge of senior UN officials, including Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the high commissioner for human rights, and Susana Malcorra, chef de cabinet in the UN, according to documents relating to the case.

Entitled Sexual Abuse on Children by International Armed Forces and stamped “confidential” on every page, the report details the rape and sodomy of starving and homeless young boys by French peacekeeping troops who were supposed to be protecting them at a centre for internally displaced people in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic.

Donovan said: “The regular sex abuse by peacekeeping personnel uncovered here and the United Nations’ appalling disregard for victims are stomach-turning, but the awful truth is that this isn’t uncommon. The UN’s instinctive response to sexual violence in its ranks – ignore, deny, cover up, dissemble – must be subjected to a truly independent commission of inquiry with total access, top to bottom, and full subpoena power.”

More here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-leaking-report-child-abuse-french-troops-car

 

[spons]

If you don't know about it it doesn't happen.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Christ. I'm baffled at the amount of people that must have been ok with this to allow it to continue

 

[AbsolutBro]

Disgusting, and definitely not the first time there has been an issue with UN forces and sexual exploitation.

The Whistleblower is about similar abuse by UN forces in Bosnia.

 

[diamount]

It's like the colonial days are back.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Fuck that shit..

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Donovan said: “The regular sex abuse by peacekeeping personnel uncovered here and the United Nations’ appalling disregard for victims are stomach-turning, but the awful truth is that this isn’t uncommon. The UN’s instinctive response to sexual violence in its ranks – ignore, deny, cover up, dissemble – must be subjected to a truly independent commission of inquiry with total access, top to bottom, and full subpoena power.”

Disgusting.

So much for the French being a force for good in the region. Raping their way through CAR...

 

[CadetMahoney]

I bet TV news won't touch this with a bargepole.

 

[PillarEN]

Whoever this person who leaked this we must applaud them. It takes great courage to do the right thing knowing the repercussions.

Oh his name is in there haha. Somehow missed that.

 

[Dr.Acula]

I bet TV news won't touch this with a bargepole.

What North American outlet is going to run a story about French troops in Africa on a UN mission?

 

[Foffy]

Suspended for outing a grave injustice.

What a fuckin' world...

 

[diamount]

I bet TV news won't touch this with a bargepole.

Of course not, they need to keep that every soldier is a hero who is protecting our freedom shtick to move more newspapers.

 

[Kabouter]

Whoever this person who leaked this we must applaud them. It takes great courage to do the right thing knowing the repercussions.

Absolutely, but knowing how these things usually go, this guy is probably screwed and the reprehensible freaks who committed this shit and those who covered it up will mostly get away with it. Only real hope is that it gets enough media coverage that the UN will be forced to act.

 

[Lightning_Roller]

Wow that is scummy, good on the person for doing this.

 

[EnlightenedMint]

I remember a Vice doc where some of the locals claimed the same thing, I forget what one it is though.

Edit: Found it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRuSS0iiFyo#t=25m56s

 

[Real Hero]

That is fucked.

 

[BadWolf]

Holy fuck.

 

[RS4-]

Absolutely, but knowing how these things usually go, this guy is probably screwed and the reprehensible freaks who committed this shit and those who covered it up will mostly get away with it. Only real hope is that it gets enough media coverage that the UN will be forced to act.

I hope this happens too, that those involved in the cover up and the disgusting acts get named and destroyed.

 

[King Tubby]

Donovan said: “The regular sex abuse by peacekeeping personnel uncovered here and the United Nations’ appalling disregard for victims are stomach-turning, but the awful truth is that this isn’t uncommon. The UN’s instinctive response to sexual violence in its ranks – ignore, deny, cover up, dissemble – must be subjected to a truly independent commission of inquiry with total access, top to bottom, and full subpoena power.”

Where have I seen this before? The story never changes.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Disgusting.

Makes me think back to the UK Government voting down explicit protection for whistleblowers of child abuse.

 

[Mizerman]

Wow, are you kidding me?

 

[cutmeamango]

I'll wait for the report to be obtained by the interested press.
It may be similar to what happened in Haiti by supposedly brazilian troops. High rank "aid workers" involved and that's why no one falls.
If it were foot soldiers alone, they'd be quickly prosecuted to save face.

 

[BlackGoku03]

Disgusting.

Makes me think back to the UK Government voting down explicit protection for whistleblowers of child abuse.

But they want to censor porn that may or may not look like CP. hmmm

 

[kirblar]

I'll wait for the report to be obtained by the interested press.
It may be similar to what happened in Haiti by supposedly brazilian troops. High rank "aid workers" involved and that's why no one falls.
If it were foot soldiers alone, they'd be quickly prosecuted to save face.

This seems likely.

 

[Christine]

Absolutely, but knowing how these things usually go, this guy is probably screwed and the reprehensible freaks who committed this shit and those who covered it up will mostly get away with it. Only real hope is that it gets enough media coverage that the UN will be forced to act.

The priorities on display seem to indicate that the organization can't or won't do it on its own initiative. It takes a special sort of tunnel vision to think that the org and its mission its so important that potential damage to their image is a greater harm than the child sexual abuse.

 

[MisterFalcon]

If it were foot soldiers alone, they'd be quickly prosecuted to save face.

They cannot be prosecuted, the UN is literally above the law and is subject to no court.

 

[AbsolutBro]

I'll wait for the report to be obtained by the interested press.
It may be similar to what happened in Haiti by supposedly brazilian troops. High rank "aid workers" involved and that's why no one falls.
If it were foot soldiers alone, they'd be quickly prosecuted to save face.

It was "foot soldiers" in Bosnia. Nothing was ever done, because:

They cannot be prosecuted, the UN is literally above the law and is subject to no court.

This. What is supposed to happen is these people are shipped home and prosecuted by their own governments. One problem, among many, is that this is usually taking place in just shy of a war zone, so actual evidence is almost non-existent. And no government really wants to admit it sent a bunch of shitheads on a peace mission, so the whole thing just goes away.

 

[King Gilga]

That's so fucked up, what a disgusting organisation.

 

[esms]

I hope this happens too, that those involved in the cover up and the disgusting acts get named and destroyed.

The world needs more optimists.

 

[cutmeamango]

They cannot be prosecuted, the UN is literally above the law and is subject to no court.

It was "foot soldiers" in Bosnia. Nothing was ever done, because:
This. What is supposed to happen is these people are shipped home and prosecuted by their own governments. One problem, among many, is that this is usually taking place in just shy of a war zone, so actual evidence is almost non-existent. And no government really wants to admit it sent a bunch of shitheads on a peace mission, so the whole thing just goes away.

They can and have been prosecuted by the country they are in. they can and have been prosecuted by whichever country they belong to, and they could be prosecuted by the UN too.

This case is apparently being silenced internally.

That is why I used the word "alone".

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

UN Security council "privileges" at work.

 

[Mimosa97]

Holy shit ...

French newspaper says they abused starving little boys in exchange for food.

Fucking pigs.

 

[TheJLC]

Sickening. Makes me angry just reading through that article.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

It's like the colonial days are back.

Those days never left.

 

[Ralemont]

The UN has faced several scandals in the past relating to its failure to act over paedophile rings operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kosovo and Bosnia. It has also faced allegations of sexual misconduct by its troops in Haiti, Burundi and Liberia.

:/

 

[Wilsongt]

I takes a disgusting person to sexually abuse a child and an even more disgusting person to sweep it under the rug and prevent anyone from knowing it is happening.

 

[Embearded]

Because peacekeeping has its sexual needs too...

I'll never in my life trust someone in a uniform, cop or military. Power tends to pull the sick minded and gives them freedom to act as they will.

 

[No Love]

Disgusting. Fuck the French and their rapists.

 

[Not Spaceghost]

Bah fuckin peace keeping forces yet again prove they're no better than any other armed force.

It's been a proven fact for a while now that everywhere they go civilian abuse and prostitution rates go up.

It's a shame that to many they're the face of the UN instead of the people who do care.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Snitches get stitches...even from peacekeepers.

 

[Frodo]

This makes me nauseated.

Funny how they seem quick to take action against the whistleblower, but not against the abusers. It is revolting.

 

[machemachete]

The UN guys who jailed the guy and tried to cover the horror must be in jail.