On July 27, the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism held a hearing on efforts to reform UN peacekeeping operations. Prior to the hearing, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan briefed members on his recommendations of how to respond to UN peacekeeping personnel’s involvement in sexual abuse and exploitation. The Zeid report was issued in March 2005 and endorsed by the UN General Assembly in June. In his opening remarks, Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) explained that the Zeid report “sets forth its findings and recommendations under four broad categories: 1) the rules on standards of conduct; 2) the investigative process; 3) organizational, managerial and command responsibility; and 4) individual disciplinary, financial and criminal accountability.”
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Philo Dibble was the only witness to testify before the committee. He explained that in 2004, the international community first heard media reports alleging sexual misconduct by personnel of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC): “In the eastern DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], the sexual exploitation and abuse of women, especially young girls, by armed militia was a horrific part of the civil war that raged in that region prior to MONUC’s arrival. Many girls were raped and some were pregnant and without families or financial means of support due to the stigma attached to rape. The subsequent involvement of some UN peacekeepers in sexual exploitation of some of these same victims aggravated a very sad situation.” Summarizing actions already taken by the UN in response to the allegations, Mr. Dibble stated, “The UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) sent a team last summer to investigate these deeply disturbing cases in the DRC, and the OIOS has made recommendations to alleviate the problem. MONUC has implemented strict non-fraternization regulations, off limit areas, and [a] curfew for its military contingent. A Code of Conduct and Behavior has long existed and is now the subject of special training sessions for all UN peacekeepers. MONUC has also reached out to women parliamentarians in the DRC, and conducted interviews with the media and launched an awareness campaign, particularly with regard to victim assistance and paternity claims.”
Mr. Dibble also noted that in May 2005, the UN completed a five-month investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving 186 peacekeeping personnel in Burundi, Liberia, and Haiti: “These investigations have resulted in the repatriation on disciplinary grounds of 78 military personnel, including six commanders, as well as two civilian police from formed police units. So far, seven UN civilian staff members have been summarily dismissed. Others have disciplinary processes pending. A centralized database of misconduct cases is designed to prevent those who have committed abuse from serving with the UN in any capacity in the future.” He added, “In response to recommendations of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping, the Secretary General has requested funding for new OIOS investigative posts at the UN mission in Haiti, DRC, Burundi, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Sudan. He also requested new posts for the conduct and discipline units at the same UN missions as well as in Sierra Leone. He has proposed revision to the OIOS mandate to ensure compliance with recommendations for a permanent, professional and independent investigative function that the General Assembly endorsed.” Finally, Mr. Dibble said that the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations “distributed to all its missions in June mandatory training programs for all peacekeeping personnel to make clear that the Code of Personal Conduct for Blue Helmets, the observance of international humanitarian law, and the UN zero-tolerance policy for exploitation and abuse will be enforced in practice.”
Urging even stronger reforms, Mr. Dibble said that “it is imperative that UN officials suspected of criminal activity or misconduct be investigated and that guilty individuals be punished. The Secretary General has the right and the duty to waive the immunity of any official in any case where, in his opinion, immunity would impede the court of justice. The U.S. wants to ensure that the Secretary General invokes this privilege whenever warranted. More importantly, military commanders of national contingents must be held accountable for actions by perpetrators under their supervision. If discipline is not enforced, the UN must repatriate commanders and recommend that their national commands take disciplinary action.”
