Goma, 9 September 2009- Ms. Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Field Support (DFS) opened a military workshop on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in Goma on 26 August with the message that any breach of discipline is one too many: "We have an obligation to create an environment in which this kind of misconduct is not possible,” she said. “But when we are faced with allegations, we must investigate immediately and ensure that appropriate sanctions are applied whenever wrongdoing is confirmed.”
The workshop was chaired by MONUC Force Commander, Lt. General Babacar Gaye and attended by all contingent commanders as well as Ms. Yewande Odia, Chief of MONUC’s Conduct and Discipline Unit (CDU), Ms. Alexandra Hampton, Officer in Charge of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) team in the DRC, and staff from all MONUC Military Police (MP) detachments. Ms. Malcorra’s Department includes the parent Conduct and Discipline Unit which oversees all CDU work in the field.
General Gaye reviewed decisions to deploy SEA assessment teams to a number of areas in the eastern region since July, after a number of vague accusations against the force were brought to MONUC’s attention. The teams did not uncover breaches of discipline but General Gaye said this innovation to strengthen the mission’s preventive capacity would continue.
Ms. Odia (CDU) emphasised the importance of avoiding fraternization between peacekeepers and local people and Ms.Hampton (OIOS) highlighted the degree to which the military chain of command can influence peacekeepers’ behaviour and prevent allegations against the Force, whether they are true or false.
General Gaye also cautioned that unintended fraternization with local people often provided opportunities for people to accuse the force of misconduct and should be avoided. He directed commanders to identify areas and activities that exposed the peacekeepers to allegations and “put an end to them”.
Among steps for consideration are: a ban on trading with local market vendors in proximity to camps; requests to local police authorities to bar traders from the vicinity of UN military camps; construction of screens and improved lighting and fencing around military premises.
General Gaye reminded commanders and ranking officers that they were personally accountable to him and to their national authorities for the disciplinary record of their troops. He said that all troop contributing countries must continue to deal harshly with those who are repatriated as a result of SEA and should enforce a system of 'black-listing' personnel found guilty of SEA so that they never return to any UN Mission.
A number of commanders expressed concern that when allegations are made, formal investigations do not proceed fast enough. Ms. Malcorra agreed that delayed findings sometimes added to the damage caused by public allegations. “It is important for the plaintiffs and for the UN to get to the bottom of allegations as quickly as possible and to publicize sanctions or other outcomes,” she said. We cannot allow the actions of a very few to compromise the high standards that are expected of UN Peacekeepers globally.”
Ms. Malcorra, directs all support for United Nations peace missions worldwide. Her staff at UNHQ supports 32 field operations currently comprising over 100,000 military, police and civilian personnel.
Ms. Malcorra’s four-day visit to the DRC included meetings with Government policymakers in Kinshasa, discussions with MONUC’s military and civilian leadership and personnel in Kinshasa, Goma and Bukavu. She also visited the isolated eastern community of Kibua where peacekeepers of a mobile operating base provide protection to the local population, including armed escorts twice weekly for community members to travel in safety from their villages to local market places and back, a task of particular importance to the women in the community.