WikiLeaks turns the spotlight on U.N. peacekeepers’ crimes

What is the cost of food or lodg- ing in the West African nation of Ivory Coast, which has been gripped by civil war for at least a decade? Sex — demanded by United Nations peacekeepers from underage girls. That in itself qualifies as a war crime, but here’s the most egregious aspect of this sordid tale: Parents encourage their daughters to sleep with the peacekeepers so the children can provide for them.

The harsh reality of war-torn regions of the world is that children are often the victims of immoral adults. Unfortunately, the effort that has been put forth to protect them has been inadequate.

But, there’s hope so long as this story isn’t ignored.

WikiLeaks, an international non-profit organization that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified information from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers, turned the spotlight on the peacekeepers’ crimes in Ivory Coast by releasing a United States Embassy cable. WikiLeaks, which has been widely criticized for publicizing classified information that has put officials of governments around the world at risk, operates a popular website.

But the organization’s revelation of the embassy cable is deserving of praise because the abuse of underage girls has drawn international attention. The communique deals with the behavior of U.N. peacekeepers from Benin, another West African country, who were stationed in the town of Toulepleu, which has been the focal point of the 10-year civil war that has devastated Ivory Coast.

Save the Children UK conducted a poll of underage girls in Toulepleu and found that a majority performed sexual acts for the peacekeepers in order to secure their most basic needs, according to the Associated Press.

Four months ago, 16 Beninese peacekeepers were repatriated to Benin and are barred from serving in the United Nations. Of the 16, 10 were commanders and the rest soldiers.

Regretfully, the reaction from the United Nations has been less than adequate. If this were an isolated incident, the international organization would be justified in simply repatriating the offenders. But through the years, the reports of criminal activity by peacekeepers have highlighted the lack of discipline and decency on the part of the individuals who are supposed to protect the innocent.

“We see it as a command and control problem,” said U.N. spokesman Michel Bonnardeux. The commanders, he said, “failed to maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse.”

Disturbing message

But by giving the Beninese peacekeepers a pass — sending them home isn’t punishment — the U.N. has delivered a disturbing message: Criminal behavior on the part of individuals in positions of power does not rise to the level of high crimes. That is unacceptable given the important role the United Nations plays in war-torn regions of the world.

“UN Peacekeepers just as guilty of child rape as everyone else in Africa and the Caribbean,” reads the introduction to a blog entry posted by Phil Brennan.

From Congo, to Sudan, to Haiti, to Cambodia to Ivory Coast, the story is the same. Genocide and the rape of women and children have been used as weapons of war.

The United Nations must stop this inhumanity by making an example of its peacekeepers.