An indicted war criminal is playing a leading role in the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to documents seen by the BBC.

A Congolese army paper suggests ex-rebel leader Gen Bosco Ntaganda has a major part in the command chain, says a BBC correspondent in the country.

The UN-Congolese force is fighting Hutu rebels in the eastern DR Congo.

The force says Congolese authorities have given assurances that Gen Ntaganda is not involved in joint operations.

Gen Ntaganda – known as “the Terminator” – is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged forced enrolment of child soldiers in 2002-2003.

‘No name’

The BBC’s Thomas Fessy in the capital, Kinshasa, has seen an internal Congolese army document, dated 4 April 2009, which refers to Gen Ntaganda as the deputy co-ordinator for the joint mission’s operations.

Rather than denying or ignoring the role being played by Bosco Ntaganda, the UN should be actively seeking his arrest and transferring him to The Hague Anneke Van Woudenberg Human Rights Watch Q&A: DR Congo conflict Congo conflict in a beer can

Our correspondent says the paper – which notes that Gen Ntaganda spoke during an operations meeting – proves he is playing a major role in the chain of command.

A high-ranking Congolese army official confirmed the former rebel leader was involved in the operations, describing him as an adviser to the operations commander.

The UN’s peacekeeping force in DR Congo, which is known as Monuc, denied the report.

“Monuc has been in very close touch with the Congolese authorities working with the Congolese military,” spokesman Kevin Kennedy told the BBC’s Network Africa programme.

“A document has been shared with Monuc concerning the command for the operations that Monuc is working on with the FADRC (Congolese national army).

“Bosco Ntaganda’s name does not appear on that document, so we have from our Congolese counterparts an assurance that he is not part of the command.”

‘Head in the sand’

Earlier this year, when the Congolese government said he could be useful in bringing peace to the eastern DR Congo, Monuc said it would not participate in any operation involving an indicted war criminal.

WHO IS BOSCO NTAGANDA? Known as “the Terminator” Indicted for war crimes; conscripting children to fight Ex-ally of rebel chief Thomas Lubanga, detained at The Hague Ntaganda refused offer of a Congolese army post in 2004 He joined Gen Nkunda’s CNDP two years later Split and joined Congolese army in January 2009

New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Monuc on Wednesday of deliberately ignoring the issue.

“We are very worried by this information and it seems to us that the United Nations is acting like an ostrich with its head in the sand,” Anneke Van Woudenberg, the group’s senior researcher on DR Congo, told the BBC.

“It’s time now this is addressed head on. Rather than denying or ignoring the role being played by Bosco Ntaganda, the UN should be actively seeking his arrest and transferring him to The Hague.”

Gen Ntaganda formerly served as chief of staff to Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda in the Tutsi-dominated rebel militia, the Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP).

But he joined the national army after splitting in January with Gen Nkunda – who was subsequently arrested in Rwanda.

International Criminal Court judges have said that as deputy head of military operations for another rebel militia, Gen Ntaganda was responsible for seven camps where children were trained.

He is also accused of taking part in that group’s attacks when the group used child soldiers.

Jose Antonio Ortega Osona, 40, a Spanish citizen who lives in New York, pleaded guilty Friday in Dartmouth provincial court to a Criminal Code charge of possessing child pornography and a Customs Act charge of smuggling prohibited goods.

Associate Chief Judge Brian Gibson, after giving Mr. Ortega Osona double credit for the nine days he spent on remand, sentenced him to serve an additional 72 days at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Burnside.

Customs officers searched Mr. Ortega Osona’s personal belongings after he arrived at the airport on a flight from New York on April 9.

Portable memory devices found in his backpack contained more than 800 images of hard-core child pornography, some involving a girl who appeared to be about five years old.

Mr. Ortega Osona expects to lose his job as a demographer with the UN’s fertility division because of the convictions, defence lawyer Geoff Newton said.  “Any jail sentence he gets pales in comparison to the effects this will have on his life,” Mr. Newton said. Others debate whether this will occur!

Mr. Ortega Osona was ordered to provide a sample of his DNA for a national databank.

“We are committed to keeping this type of material out of our communities,” Andrew LeFrank, the Canada Border Services Agency’s director for Nova Scotia, said in a release.

“This seizure reaffirms our role in the efforts to prevent the exploitation of children in Canada and around the world.”

The court also ordered that Didier Bourguet, 44, undergo psychiatric treatment.

Bourget was accused of raping some 20 girls aged between 12 and 18 while posted in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1998 and 2004.

The Frenchman, who was responsible for the maintenance of United Nations peacekeeping vehicles, admitted during the trial to having paid sex with the girls, but insisted they had consented.

DR Congo police arrested Bourguet in the eastern city of Goma in October 2004 and turned him over to France. French state prosecutor Pierre Kramer rejected his defense and said Bourguet showed “an absence of compassion for his victims” living in harsh economic conditions.

Kramer argued that the girls were “under duress given their age and the economic context” of their countries.

The prosecution had asked the Paris court to sentence him to 12 years.

Prosecutors told the court that Bourguet sought out girls through go-betweens during his postings in the Central African Republic from 1998 to 2001 and in DR Congo from 2001 to 2004.

One of the victims, a Congolese girl now aged 16 and living in Canada, told the court she had been abused after being served a cup of tea that had made her dizzy.

A police officer testified that Bourguet had engaged in sexual acts with about 24 girls, paying between 10 and 20 dollars (seven to 14 euros) each time.

Lawyer Emmanuel Daoud representing one of the victims said that between 15,000 and 20,000 rapes were committed each year in the DR Congo by soldiers, rebels and, sometimes, UN personnel, he said.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5glcjuSJrjkztDUv98puErRSXJ1DA

Didier Bourguet, a mechanic who worked for the United Nations from 1994, faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years if he is found guilty of a series of sexual offense and pornography charges ranging from rape to corruption of minors.

At the beginning of the hearing in Paris, at which one of his alleged victims was present, Bourguet acknowledged that he had had sex with the girls but he said they had consented.

“I admit the sexual relations and the pornography, but I deny rape,” he told the court.

A judgment is expected on Thursday.

His lawyer told reporters that Bourguet, who worked in the Central African Republic between 1998-2001 and the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2001-04, would argue that he had no way of knowing the girls were under aged.

A police investigation uncovered pedophile pornography and a series of images and videos stored on Bourguet’s personal computer showing him with very young girls, the court heard.

He told police he had met the girls through paid intermediaries and gave them between $10-20.

The United Nations’ own internal inspection services said in a 2004 report that they were looking at 72 cases of suspected rape and sexual offenses committed by civilian employees and military personnel during the U.N. mission to Congo.

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN957748.html

JURIST] The office of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [official website] said on Tuesday that the organization has found significant evidence that Indian peacekeeping troops have committed sex-crimes [press release] while stationed with the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) [official website]. The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) [official website] began the investigation in May after receiving reports that some troops had paid for sex with Congolese minors. Condemning the alleged abuses if true, Ban’s spokesperson stated:

The Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the outcome… He reiterates, in the strongest possible terms, that such behaviour, if substantiated, is wholly unacceptable and that disciplinary action to the maximum degree permitted by Indian law should be taken as soon as possible against those found to be involved in such misconduct… The Secretary-General highly values India’s long-standing and valuable support for United Nations peacekeeping. He expresses his respect for all those peacekeepers from India and other troop-contributing countries who serve with honour and commitment, and stresses that the misconduct of a few should not diminish the enormous contribution and sacrifice of the large number of Blue Helmets who serve the cause of peace.

In response to the report, the Indian army has begun its own internal investigation [PTI report] into the allegations, a move praised by the UN. The alleged abuses were exposed during an earlier UN investigation into reports [UN News report] that some Pakistani and Indian troops had been involved in gold and arms smuggling in the African country. Reuters has more. AFP has additional coverage.

The allegations of child exploitation made against the troops are particularly egregious given that the use of child soldiers [HRW materials] by militia leaders in the country was one of the primary human rights violations the forces have tried to remedy. One such leader, Thomas Lubanga [ICC materials; BBC profile], is currently being held in the Netherlands as the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] hears a prosecutor’s appeal [PDF; JURIST report] against his release [JURIST report] which was ordered after alleged prosecutorial misconduct. Lubanga had been the leader of the Union of Patriotic Congolese [GlobalSecurity backgrounder], and is charged with using child soldiers [JURIST report; BBC report] and other human rights abuses in Congo’s violent Ituri district [HRW backgrounder].

In a statement Alenius replied “It’s my document, for my perusal,”.

The UN’s Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions noted that “the Committee did not have the benefit of access to the review itself, as OIOS declined to provide it.”

These reports were at the center of a BBC report which claimed that the UN covered up that its troops in DR of Congo gave arms to militias and smuggled gold and ivory. The allegations were based on confidential UN sources, involve Pakistani and Indian troops working as peace keepers. It further stated that the UN investigated some of the claims in 2007, but said it could not substantiate claims of arms dealing, but UN insiders told the BBC, they had been prevented from pursuing their inquiries for political reasons. Story reported here

Earlier this week, in a press briefing, the question was asked,”who had paid for the report.”
“The UN budget,” the senior UN official replied. So how is it Ms. Ahlenius’ report?

The reports are damning. The first, by Erling Grimstad, states among other thing that

“OIOS suffers from an ineffective and unclear structure, lack of independent budget and limited to no administrative support (check in and separating procedures, travel arrangements, etc.), poor management, conflicts at the senior management level, lack of communication inside ID/OIOS as well as with stakeholders and clients of ID/OIOS, lack of standard operating procedures and constant disagreements with regard to the scope of some of the investigative procedures of the division. This has obviously resulted in instability, high turnover rates and non-optimal working conditions for investigators.”

Well the report “owned” by Ms Inga-Britt Alenius, paid for from the UN’s donor countries, withheld from UN’s Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, and leaked to the BBC, is now available for the world to see in PDF :

Review of the OIOS Investigations Division, United Nations
Submitted to the Under-Secretary-General of Office of Internal Oversight Services
June 26, 2007 Erling Grimstad

Also See:

A Culture Review of the Investigations Division of OIOS
Consultant’s Report Submitted to: Inga-Britt Ahlenius
Under-Secretary General Office of Internal Oversight Services
by Michel Girodo, Ph.D July 13th, 2007

The UN investigated some of the claims in 2007, but said it could not substantiate claims of arms dealing, but UN insiders told the BBC’s Panorama they had been prevented from pursuing their inquiries for political reasons.

An 18-month BBC investigation for Panorama has found evidence that:

- Pakistani peacekeepers in the eastern town of Mongbwalu were involved in the illegal trade in gold with the FNI militia, providing them with weapons to guard the perimeter of the mines.

- Indian peacekeepers operating around the town of Goma had direct dealings with the militia responsible for the Rwandan genocide, now living in eastern DR Congo.

- The Indians traded gold, bought drugs from the militias and flew a UN helicopter into the Virunga National Park, where they exchanged ammunition for ivory.

The UN looked into the allegations concerning the Pakistani troops in 2007.

It concluded that one officer had been responsible for dealing in gold – allowing traders to use UN aircraft to fly into the town, putting them up at the UN base and taking them around the town.

The head of the UN peacekeeping operation in New York Jean-Marie Guehenno declared, “The investigation has found no evidence of gun smuggling. the UN decided that “in the absence of corroborative evidence” its investigators “could not substantiate the allegation” that Pakistani peacekeepers supplied weapons or ammunition to the militia.

UN insiders - close to the investigation – told the BBC they had been prevented from pursuing their inquiries for political reasons. The BBC’s Martin Plaut says that in short, the Pakistanis, who are the largest troop contributors to the UN in the world, were too valuable to alienate.

These are not the only allegations to have been brought against peacekeepers in DR Congo.
In December 2006, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Moroccan troops had been involved in widespread sexual abuse. “There have been crimes such as rape, pedophilia and human trafficking,” he said, shortly before leaving office.

Didier Bourguet, the U.N. senior official who was charged with running an Internet pedophile ring in the Congo, continues to escape imprisonment by hiding behind the French “justice” system

Several witnesses including two jailed FNI leaders known as “Kung-fu” and “Dragon”, have stated publicly that they received help from the UN. The FNI has been described by Human Rights Watch as “some of the most murderous individuals that operate in eastern Congo”.

The UN peacekeeping operation in DR Congo is the largest in the world, with 17,000 troops, spread across the country.

BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7365283.stm

Sudan’s allies from the African, Islamic groups and Non-Aligned blocs lined up to praise Khartoum, a position that was formalized in a consensus resolution welcoming the “collaboration of the government of Sudan.”

Gibreil Hamid, a survivor from Darfur, took the floor on behalf of UN Watch to confront the impunity granted to Sudan. See full video and text below.

UN Watch Takes on Sudan and its Allies

UN Human Rights Council, 7th Session

Interactive Dialogue with UN Special Rapporteur on Sudan

UN Watch Statement Delivered by Gibreil Hamid, March 17, 2008

Thank you, Mr. President.

I speak on behalf of UN Watch. We thank the Special Rapporteur for her excellent work for the victims of Darfur.

Mr. President, I am from Darfur, and I know the truth about what is happening there.

The truth can be found in today’s report.

The report shows how the Government of Sudan is violating human rights and international humanitarian law, with physical assaults, abductions and rape.

In October, Government forces attacked Muhajiriya. People praying in a mosque were rounded up, and forty-eight civilians were killed.

In November, Government planes dropped bombs on Habila. The attackers entered the villages, shooting, stealing animals and setting fire to houses.

On 2 December, in West Darfur, armed men attacked a group of ten women and girls. A sixteen-year-old girl from the group was gang raped, and at least three other women were whipped and beaten with axes. Police and soldiers refused to help.

Today’s report says that violence against women in Darfur is continuing. There is no improvement. There is no justice. The attackers enjoy immunity.

Mr. President, in the name of basic human rights, UN Watch urges Sudan to end these attacks against innocent civilians.

UN Watch asks this Council to please stop praising Sudan for its “cooperation.” Mr. President, attacking little girls is not “cooperation.”

We wish to ask the rapporteur: What further action is she planning to protect the victims of Darfur?

Thank you, Mr. President.

————————————————————-

In Praise of Sudan’s ‘Cooperation’

*

“It is an honor to speak on behalf of the Arab Group and our country considers that reaching a peaceful solution in the south of Sudan has reached to the stability of the situation and Sudan is committed to this treatment, and it has taken the steps in order to achieve this peaceful solution.”

– Palestine on behalf of the Arab Group, March 17, 2008

*

“Our delegation also appreciates the cooperation by Sudan with the former Commission on Human Rights and with the Human Rights Council. Sudan has thus recognized all the resolutions of the Commission and the Council.”

– Qatar, March 17, 2008

*

“The African Group expresses its hope that this session of the Council will mark the continuation of the cooperative spirit, which has reigned so far in the Council on Sudan…”

– Egypt on behalf of the African Group, March 17, 2008

*

“We believe that this is a reflection of the openness of the government of Sudan and its commitment to cooperate with this Council for the promotion and protection of human rights.”

– Egypt on behalf of the African Group, March 17, 2008

*

“The African group expresses its appreciation to the government of Sudan for the efforts undertaken thus far in the implementation of peace agreements….”

– Egypt on behalf of the African Group, March 17, 2008

*

“Indeed the Sudan government has always cultivated traditions of cooperation and openness with different mechanisms both with the UN and Africa.”

– African Union representative, March 17, 2008

*

“We express our appreciation to the government of Sudan for the cooperation that it has extended….”

– Kenya, March 17, 2008

*

“Sudan’s efforts are noteworthy and must be encouraged.” — Pakistan, March 17, 2008

*

“Sudan has completely cooperated with the former Commission on Human Rights as well as the current Council with the fact that both the Council and the Commission have admitted that.”

– Palestine on behalf of the Arab Group, March 17, 2008

*

“We appreciate the consistent efforts of the government of Sudan to remove obstacles to the implementation of all national, regional, and international agreements.” — Pakistan, March 17, 2008

*

“The government of Sudan will also require international support and encouragement, which must be provided without political qualification.” — Pakistan, March 17, 2008

*

“The Sudan has always cooperated with the Human Rights Council in order to implement its resolutions. President, we welcome Sudan’s cooperation with the Council…” — Syria, March 17, 2008

*

“The Sudanese government is cooperating fully with all international, regional initiatives to put an end to the crisis…” — League of Arab States representative, March 17, 2008

*

“Malaysia welcomes the progress achieved by the government of the Sudan in improving the legislation, mechanism, and rule of law in the country…” — Malaysia, March 17, 2008

*

“We praise the positive steps taken by and taken in the past and which continue to be taken by the government of Sudan to deal with the situation in Darfur…” — Saudi Arabia, March 17, 2008

*

“The report of the Special Rapporteur reflects the cooperation of the Sudan government and the progress made in improving the situation in that region by the attempt of the Sudanese government to lift all the obstacles to carrying out all the provisions of regional and international agreements.” — Saudi Arabia, March 17, 2008

*

“We also recognize the determination of the Sudanese government to try and solve the complex situation effecting Darfur. Cuba welcomes the manifest cooperation of the Sudanese authorities with the work of this Council and its decisions.” — Cuba, March 17, 2008

*

“Thanks to the considerable efforts of the UN, the African Union, the Sudanese government and other interested parties we have seen positive developments in the search for a solution to the Darfur issue.” — China, March 17, 2008

*

“We are confident that the government of Sudan will continue its cooperation with the Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights…” — Indonesia, March 17, 2008

*

“Sudan has fully cooperated with the UN peacekeeping forces. This has shown the good intentions of the Sudanese government’s determination to restore peace and security.” — United Arab Emirates, March 17, 2008

*

“The Sudanese government has demonstrated its determination to positively work toward satisfactory solutions…” — Jordan, March 17, 2008

*

“We are satisfied to note the high level of cooperation between the Sudanese government and the Special Rapporteur, and the willingness of the government to pursue a dialogue…” — Russian Federation, March 17, 2008

*

“My country’s delegation praises the efforts of the Sudanese government to improve the human rights situation…” — Bahrain, March 17, 2008

*

“The government of Sudan is cooperating positively…” — Bahrain, March 17, 2008

*

“We appreciate the cooperation of the government of Sudan to facilitate the work of the Special Rapporteur and to follow closely matters in the field.” — Yemen, March 17, 2008

*

“We are particularly heartened by the openness and the cooperative spirit with which the government of Sudan has welcomed the SR and facilitated her mission.” — Djibouti, March 17, 2008

*

“The delegation also notes the cooperation afforded to the Special Rapporteur by the government of Sudan, which is reflective of an attempt to unravel the complex situation and resolve it.” — Zimbabwe, March 17, 2008

*

“The EU will join the consensus on this resolution and wishes to express our appreciation to the government of Sudan and its ambassador and the African Group for their constructive engagement during the course of these negotiations.” — Slovenia on behalf of the European Union, March 27, 2008

*

“We particularly welcome the cooperation extended by the government of the Sudan to the Special Rapporteur as well as to the group of experts on Darfur. We also appreciate the government of Sudan’s willingness to remain engaged with the international community.” — Pakistan on behalf of the Islamic Group, March 27, 2008

*

“There has been an acknowledgment of the improvements of the situation of human rights in Darfur and of the steps taken by the government of the Sudan…” — Sudan, March 27, 2008

The demonstrators outside the presidential palace said the rising cost of living in Haiti meant they were struggling to feed themselves. “We are hungry,” they shouted before attempting to smash open the palace gates with metal bins.

Overwhelmed guards struggled to hold back the crowd until U.N. peacekeepers arrived. UN troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Several people are reported to have been injured in the clashes.

Les Cayes
Thousands took to the streets and went on the rampage in the town of Les Cayes, last week, blocking roads, looting shops and shooting at UN peacekeepers. The UN said its personnel had opened fire at some of the armed protesters.

A small group of protesters broke into the Les Cayes UN compound and damaged its gate. Some also fired shots at peacekeepers deployed in the town in an attempt to maintain public order. The UN troops fired back in response. The ensuing unrest left three dead in Les Cayes, including one young man who demonstrators said was fatally shot in the head by the UN peacekeepers.

The UN said it was investigating the death. At least five people have been killed in Haiti since the unrest began

Government
The protesters demanded the resignation of President Rene Preval, who came to power two years ago promising to restore peace to a country torn apart by fighting between rival armed gangs. Mr Preval is believed to have been inside the palace at the time.
Violence in Haiti has often been linked to poverty with more than half the population surviving on less than a dollar a day. New customs procedures aimed at collecting revenues and stopping the flow of drugs has left tons of food rotting in ports In a country where almost all food is imported, cargo traffic from Miami has ground nearly to a halt.
Critics say both Mr Preval and the international community have focused too much on political stability and not enough on helping to alleviate poverty and now growing hunger. Government officials say the riots are being manipulated by outside forces, more specifically drug smugglers.

United Nations

The protesters are also focusing their anger on the 9,000 or so UN peacekeepers sent to Haiti in 2004 under Resolution 1542 which established the ‘UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)”

. Their mission was to quell the chaos that followed the ousting of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the country’s first democratically elected leader.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Americas. Around 80% of the population lives on less than $2 a day.