UN probes claims of sexual abuse by peacekeepers in Sudan

FOUR UN peacekeepers in southern Sudan have been sent home in the past year following investigations of alleged sexual abuse and the organisation is looking into reports that more than 20 children were raped and abused, a UN spokeswoman has said.

Michele Montas said the United Nations was “deeply concerned” by a report in a British newspaper alleging that UN personnel in Juba, the capital of southern Sudan, were involved in sexual exploitation and abuse. The UN was trying to determine if the allegations were new or involved existing cases already under investigation.

Meanwhile, Sudan yesterday described the alleged sexual abuse as “outrageous” and said it would launch its own investigation.

“We are very concerned. It is outrageous,” said foreign ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig.

“If anyone has committed such crimes they should face the full weight of the law.”

He said the Khartoum government would launch an investigation into the matter.

Any UN personnel found guilty of such crimes would be dealt with by the United Nations and not under Sudanese law.

On Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph, citing an internal report by the UN children’s agency along with interviews with more than 20 victims of the purported abuse, reported that the alleged abuse began two years ago when the UN Mission in Southern Sudan, known as UNMIS, arrived to help maintain peace in the region after a more than two-decade civil war.

“The first indications of sexual exploitation emerged within months of the UN force’s arrival and The Daily Telegraph has seen a draft of an internal report compiled by the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, in July 2005 detailing the problem,” the paper reported. “Evidence suggests that UNMIS staff may already be involved in sexual exploitation.”