Fact-finding team sent to eastern DRC

Kinshasa, 23 July 2009 - The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) today announced that a fact-finding mission was on its way to eastern Congo to reinforce preventive measures against sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by peacekeepers.

Force Commander, General Babacar Gaye, said he was concerned at persistent rumours of misconduct and hoped the fact-finding team would shed light on them. "If they find indications of misconduct, we will refer their findings to a more formal process of investigation," he said.

The fact-finding team is led by a senior officer from the North Kivu Brigade, supported by a female field officer from MONUC's Conduct and Discipline Unit (CDU), a military liaison officer for CDU from Goma, and an independent officer appointed by the military Deputy Chief of Staff in Goma. They will visit a number of operating bases as well as camps responsible for the protection of tens of thousands of Congolese who are displaced by violence in North Kivu. The fact finding team is expected to report back by the end of the month.

This initiative follows the appointment last year of 48 military officers to act as focal points within MONUC's national troop contingents, to strengthen local field training programmes on SEA and the reporting of offences. The focal points completed a two-day SEA refresher training programme in Goma, on 25 June.

In a directive to all MONUC Brigade Commanders on 27 June, General Gaye said that 10 cases of SEA had been investigated by military police in 2008, but he was concerned that other cases might have gone undetected. He said he was particularly concerned about possible breaches of the Mission's Code of Conduct by soldiers in remote locations.

Alan Doss, UN Special Representative for Congo, welcomed further reinforcement of conduct and discipline in the Mission as an aid to prevention. "What we are talking about here is zero tolerance for any behaviour that disrespects women and girls and the communities in which they live," he said. "This includes our 3,000 civilian peacekeepers as well as the military. A very small number of peacekeepers have abused the trust of the Congolese people in the past, and the overwhelming majority who serve with honor in this Mission resent the damage that a few individuals can do to the credibility of peacekeeping."

General Gaye explained that any evidence brought to light by the fact-finding mission would be the subject of formal investigation by the UN's investigative arm, which operates outside of the MONUC chain of command.
"I have instructed my Commanders to ensure our peacekeepers understand that everyone, regardless of rank, is responsible to be alert to the possibility of offences and to report transgressors to their SEA focal points or commanding officers immediately," General Gaye said.