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UN to gather more info on new sex abuse cases in Central African Republic

Xinhua, March 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

A UN delegation was sent to the Central African Republic (CAR) to gather more information on new allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, said a UN spokesman Monday at a daily briefing.

The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) said on March 25 that it received new information of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse both by UN and non-UN forces and civilians in the Kemo prefecture, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"These allegations reportedly refer to incidents that occurred in 2014 and 2015," he added.

The MINUSCA's primary concern was to ensure that victims have been assisted and all reports immediately investigated to ensure that any perpetrator is appropriately sanctioned, said Dujarric.

The delegation visited Kemo prefecture over the weekend. They will gather all available information and preserve evidence to the extent possible, said the spokesman.

The delegation is led by Diane Corner, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for the Central African Republic (CAR), and includes members from the conduct and discipline team, human rights unit, as well as representatives of United Nations Population Fund, UN Refugee Agency, and United Nations Children's Fund, according to Dujarric.

In the spring of 2014, allegations first came to light that international troops serving as peacekeepers had sexually abused a number of young children in exchange for food or money. The alleged perpetrators were largely from a French military force known as Sangaris, which was operating under the authorization of the Security Council but not under UN command.

The nearly 11,000-strong MINUSCA was set up in 2014 after fighting between the mainly Muslim Seleka and mainly Christian anti-Balaka groups erupted in early 2013, killing thousands of people and driving hundreds of thousands more from their homes. The mission played a major role in providing security last month for the first round of presidential and legislative elections. Enditem