The United Nations has announced that eight members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), who are part of the UN peacekeeping mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, have been arrested for alleged sexual abuse in that country.
The eight SANDF soldiers have also been suspended by the world body.
South Africa is part of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in DRC (Monusco), which is a peacekeeping mission in the volatile region in the east of DRC.
UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said they had acted on information that the soldiers were involved in alleged sexual abuse.
However, a full investigation has been launched by the world body.
Dujarric said the soldiers violated the UN policy and will have to account for their actions once they start with formal investigations.
He said they had been tipped off about the conduct of these soldiers in the eastern DRC.
“Upon receiving information that contingent members from the UN peacekeeping force in the DRC, deployed at a base in the eastern part of the country, were fraternising after curfew hours at an out of bounds bar known to be a place where transactional sex occurs,” Dujarric said.
He said the UN missions, military police and conduct and discipline personnel visited the premises to assess the reports they had received.
“After confirming their presence and attempting to detain the mission, the contingent members for breaching the UN standards of conduct and the missions non-fraternisation policy, UM mission personnel were physically assaulted and threatened by the contingent members,” he said.
“There’s also evidence indicating a serious failure in the exercise of command and control by senior military officials belonging to that same contingent.”
He said the investigation was now underway. He added that the victims will be given support by the UN.
Monusco also confirmed that it has taken steps to deal with the case.
The measures taken included “suspension from duty, detention and confinement to quarters of concerned members”.
This is not the first time that members of the SANDF in the eastern DRC have been embroiled in sexual abuse allegations. A few years ago it emerged that female members of the army were sexually abused during peace missions outside the country by fellow members.
Earlier this year Cabinet said it had received a report on progress made to deal with sexual abuse cases in UN peace missions.
The cabinet said a ministerial task team had been tasked to deal with this matter.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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