EFFECTIVENESS OF THE UN TO COMBAT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000019

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/PSC - GILES OJI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KPKO KWMN CG
SUBJECT: EFFECTIVENESS OF THE UN TO COMBAT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND
ABUSE IN THE MONUC PEACEKEEPING OPERATION: DRC

REF: 09 STATE 130760; 09 KINSHASA 591


1. (SBU) Summary: An influential Congolese NGO, Voice of the
Voiceless, acknowledged that improvements in MONUC's handling of
sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) cases have occurred in 2009,
but more improvements are needed. MONUC's Conduct and Discipline
Unit (CDU) report SEA allegations in 2009 were slightly lower than
in 2008. The CDU maintains that the UN system and member state
actions have resulted in slower justice. The CDU recommended a
stronger judicial and investigative system and disciplinary
authority for mission SRSGs. End summary.




2. (SBU) Poloff recently met with Floribert Chebeya Bahizire,
Executive Director of the NGO Voice of the Voiceless and his deputy
Dolly Ibefo. Both believe that the local perception of the UN and
MONUC has improved over time, but noted that many Congolese doubted
whether guilty UN troops, who had been sent home, were really
prosecuted in their countries. Chebeya was positive in noting the
work that the CDU has done to improve the situation, but believes
MONUC still has much to do.




3. (U) MONUC provided us with various documents to highlight the
training and punitive measures it has undertaken in the past year.
MONUC reported that the number of Category 1 (most serious) SEA
allegations in 2009 decreased slightly to 37 from 38 in 2008.
MOUNC repatriated 33 contingent members in 2009 on disciplinary
grounds. The CDU regularly makes visits to the field to conduct
assessments. The MONUC SEA Focal Point network continues to assist
the CDU and senior management in training. In summer 2009, the CDU
conducted an anti-prostitution campaign sensitizing the local
population on grassroots approaches to reducing the number of SEA
allegations. With German government funds, the CDU also
established rehabilitation centers for women engaged in
prostitution as part of the mandated victim's assistance policy.
Funding for this project was for one year and its future is
uncertain, but MONUC hopes that member states will continue to fund
this effort.




4. (SBU) Yewande Odia, head of the CDU, acknowledged to poloff
that, even though SEA allegations did not change significantly in
2009, the presence of three new field offices in the East has
provided for greater reporting in those areas of potentially high
SEA allegations. Odia is confident that the numbers will begin to
decrease significantly over the next year with this expanded
presence. Odia reiterated that the number of investigators in the
UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) in the DRC had been
reduced from 9 to 2, making it harder to initiate and complete
investigations in a timely manner. In addition, Odia criticized
both the UN 2009 reform system and member states for not providing
mission SRSGs sanctioning authority for certain conduct violations,
thus allowing a sentiment that impunity exists within the UN ranks.
According to Odia and the CDU team, the backlog of cases in New
York is so great that individuals who have been found guilty of
theft, battery, and even rape via the investigative process are
still receiving paychecks and reporting for work months or years
after the incidents. Odia believes that this lack of disciplinary
authority undermines the work of the UN in stemming the tide of
impunity in the GDRC.




5. (SBU) Summary: As the UN's largest PKO in an enormous country
with poor infrastructure, it remains a challenge to monitor the
conduct of MONUC's military and civilian components. MONUC, in our
opinion, is doing all it possibly can to provide training, monitor
conduct, and punish perpetrators. To end a sense of impunity,
however, an effective judicial system to reduce the backlog of
cases and SRSG disciplinary authority to impose sanctions should be
explored. End summary.
BROCK