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6 of 11 alleged victims of sex abuse in DRC are minors, UN says

Xinhua, April 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations on Tuesday confirmed that six of the 11 alleged victims of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers are minors, and all these alleged victims from in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) claimed they become pregnant in the wake of the sexual exploitation.

"It was now confirming that out of the 11 allegedly abused women, six were minors," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here. "Seven of the alleged victims have already given birth and four women are still pregnant."

The sexual exploitation and abuse were allegedly committed by Tazanian troops serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, Haq said. "They have been referred to UNICEF (the UN Children's Fund) who has deployed a team on the ground."

"The Tanzanian Permanent Mission to the UN in New York has informed the United Nations on April 4 during a meeting with the (UN) Department of Field Support, that they have appointed an investigation team, which will travel in the DRC in the coming days," he said.

"The (UN) Secretariat has recommended to the Tanzanian authorities to conduct joint investigations with the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS)," he said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "shocked to the core" by allegations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers and French troops in the Central African Republic, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here last Thursday.

"We must face the fact that a number of troops sent to protect people instead acted with hearts of darkness," Dujarric said.

The United Nations is investigating new claims that troops from Burundi and Gabon serving in its peace force in the Central African Republic sexually abused women and girls.

Dujarric said that the secretary-general saw the latest reported cases as "despicable, depraved and deeply disturbing" and once again urged troop-contributing countries to take action to prosecute those responsible for the serious crimes.

Under UN rules, the responsibility for investigating and prosecuting peacekeeper sexual abuse lies with the countries that contribute the troops and police to the UN peacekeeping missions. Enditem