Salt in an Open Wound
The U.N. mission in Congo, the MONUC, is in upheaval over a sickening sexual abuse scandal. Peacekeepers of different nationalities are accused of exchanging money and food for sex with local women, and a French logisitics officer's been found to operate a pedophile pornography studio in Goma. Here's the BBC.What can one say about this? I would hope the scrutiny and embarassment for the U.N. will end these crimes. However, I am wary of the outcry raised by right-wing outlets over this scandal. I don't think it's cynical to say that they are concerned with discrediting the U.N., as they have been trying to do for some time, rather than with the Congolese population, which they've been ignoring for years. There is a massive epidemic of marauding militias in East Congo, and the U.N. crimes are, I hate to say, a drop in the bucket, and do nothing to obviate the necessary (if flawed) role the MONUC plays in restoring order there...
posted by LouisAntoine @ 4:12 PM
3 purrs/hisses:
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I am quite pleased that there are people like you, foreigners, in Congo (my country) who are willing to speak out about the situation there. I haven't been back home for about a year and a half now (I am in Ohio), and it is nice to have people who can give us the 411 on what is happening. I also appreciate your candor about things... not too paternalistic, like some other Westerners. Keep up the good work!
As for the UN "scandal thingie", being a UN-brat myself (my mother is a UN civil servant), I am quite appaled... but not surprised. And I definitely agree that it is more used to discredit an organization that the conservatives dislike for ideological purposes. It is flawed, and needs reform, but we need the UN. And those reforms can't pass because some countries do not want to relinquish a tiny bit of power. I wish more people in the US saw that, and saw all the otherwise marvelous work UN agencies perform.
Nevertheless, it is sad that it is the only way we can get to put Congo in the minds of people in SmallTown, IN! But 'gotta do what you gotta do' right?
Will you write an article on this matter? Aren't you there on the spot?
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